


the unconventional upbringing of estelle blofis

by r1ptides



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: First work - Freeform, Gen, a bunch of one shots probably, estelle growing up, im not a good writer sorry, more characters than tagged but its ok
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:07:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 22,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22342321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/r1ptides/pseuds/r1ptides
Summary: sally's first kid was quite the handful, she's sure she can handle another.orthe jackson/blofis household is basically open to all of percy's friends, so obviously estelle won't be having a normal mortal childhood.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Paul Blofis/Sally Jackson
Comments: 255
Kudos: 716





	1. groceries help coping

**Author's Note:**

> hi! this is my first actual work besides some stupid stuff I wrote when I was 11, so I'm trying my best. also I don't really write, so excuse everything wrong w/ this. estelle having a crazy upbringing and everyone being there for it has been in my head for so long, so I had to write it. some canon things might be messed up so I'm sorry in advance. thats all, hope u enjoy if anyone reads this which I doubt it! idk how this site works god help me lol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> estelle's born and uh I kinda skipped my siblings birth for build a bear (I was a bratty kid I know ok) so this definitely isn't how birth works sorry!!!!

The hospital room was small, cramped. Across the hall was another, with another pregnant woman about to bring a child into this world. She was accompanied by her husband and a younger girl, assumably her daughter. _Traditional_.

Very different from that of Sally Jackson-Blofis. Her room was packed with teenagers, all talking excitedly, comforting her, or lounging on the few chairs going through the seven or so hospital TV channels. 

A nurse walked briskly by the room, flipping through paperwork. Upon hearing the out of place commotion, she stepped back.

“Oh, uh, Mrs. Blofis,” she began awkwardly. “Did you want family-only for now?” 

“They all are,” Sally responded, smiling warmly.

The nurse surveyed the room of teenagers, all appearing unrelated in every way. Farthest group from resembling a family one could imagine.

She decided to nod and continue on her way.

Sally’s due date was the next day, but she and Paul figured it was best to come that day. She IMed Percy they would be on their way, which he then told all his friends, who all figured they needed to come help bring supplies, clothes, anything really.

It wasn’t that Sally was annoyed. She’d gotten to know all of Percy’s friends- old and new. In a way, she was the closest thing to a maternal figure most had.

Annabeth and Sally went a long way back. Her future daughter-in-law was all that kept her together while Percy was missing. Hell, she even IMed Annabeth before leaving for the hospital, in case she stopped by on her way back from Olympus (conveniently in the area) and neither Sally nor Paul were there.

Then there was Nico. Sally had always wanted to nurture that boy back to health, how skinny he was. Ever since he came to Percy’s 15th birthday, she told him he was welcome in the Jackson-Blofis residence anytime, to take a break from shadow-traveling. Only recently had he taken her up on that, and she was always happy to see him rest and recharge before any more accidental trips to China might happen. She noted when he and Will Solace, a boy she remembered from the second Titan War, interacted that he seemed to actually laugh. It was nice to see.

Then there was Piper and Jason. Jason Grace couldn’t be farther from what she expected the brother of Thalia Grace to be. He was clean cut, and rigid. When he offered to shake hands upon meeting, he seemed so tense at a hug, as if the kid didn’t even have a mother in the first place. Piper welcomed the hug. She was definitely a hugger. 

Leo and Calypso were always nice to have around. Paul wasn’t too good at fixing things, so when their washer broke, Percy had said, “Just let me IM Leo real quick.”

He, like Nico, was quite skinny and Sally’s maternal instincts kicked in. She cooked as Leo worked his mechanical magic, and not only was the washing machine fixed, but he told Sally she could wash white and colored clothes together and it would be okay. 

She immediately knew who the girl with him was, when she reached out her hand and said “I’m Calypso.”

Sally pulled her in for a hug. “I guess I have you to thank for the garden in my window.”

Hazel and Frank were the only ones Sally hadn’t known too well, but she still treated them like her own. They were in California often, Frank being Praetor and all. She couldn’t be more thankful that two such sweet kids were there for Percy when he’d been memory wiped. 

Eventually, the baby was coming around 7 pm, when the room had cleared. She found herself strangely calm, although she hadn’t had a child in 17 years. When she had Percy, she was completely alone. Him and her against the world. Now, she had a husband she never thought would be possible, a son (who was thankfully alive), and two camps of demigods who might as well call her “mom.”

She could handle another.

Estelle Blofis is born on March 7th. She has big, brown eyes and a strong set of lungs. 

Percy holds her cautiously across the room, like something could go wrong from him making contact with her. A guy could save the world twice, but was scared of holding a baby, go figure. 

His eyes tear up as he makes goofy faces at her. Annabeth laughs over his shoulder. 

“How does it feel being a big brother, Seaweed Brain?”

“I mean… I do already have Tyson… but this is different,” he said, all while making sure to support Estelle’s head and keep looking into her now squinted from giggling eyes.

Paul rests a hand on Sally’s shoulder. “You did good,” he said, watching his step-son hold his daughter.

“Me? She’s both of us Paul,” Sally reminds him, smiling at her children, her worlds.

“No, I mean Percy. He’s such a good kid because of you, you know. I’m glad to know that she has such a good role model to look up to.”

Sally blushes. Annabeth’s said similar. Most demigods grow up bitter, partially or fully parentless. She had always worried Percy might resent her, having Gabe around all those years. And Gabe had been the only male figure he’d been around. But it only made him more fiercely protective of his mother.

“I guess I did do good, didn’t I?”

\- 

People cope in different ways. Sally doesn’t know many people who cope by grocery shopping. 

It’s hard to do anything around the house with a screaming baby. Percy helps when he’s home, but Sally insists he go somewhere to study, to get his grades up to meet the University of New Rome’s standards. Paul does too, when he isn’t working or grading papers.

Annabeth stops by at least weekly. So do some of the other demigods, their apartment is basically open to any of Percy’s friends in the area who need to sit down for a moment in a nice, homey place. 

But gods, she can’t do anything. She can’t write, or cook too long or anything. Not that she can complain too much, Percy was even more of a handful at the age.

Sally’s going to grab something from the fridge as Estelle finally naps, when she realizes she hasn’t been grocery shopping in weeks.

 _Shit_.

Their fridge, at one time always full of snacks, fresh fruits and vegetables, and (mostly blue) leftovers, has a box of popsicles, baby food, and a ¾ empty carton of eggs. Wonderful.

She opts on waiting for Percy and Paul to get home to just order a pizza. With her spare time she tries writing.

It’s by some stroke of luck that she comes out of her room to see a bunch of reusable grocery bags (new New York law, she really needed to invest in some of the bags herself) piled high with food. The bags were labeled with the grocery store’s name a few streets over that had always been way too expensive for her to shop at.

Standing there was Thalia Grace, in all her punk rock immortal maiden glory. Physically, she looked the same age she had been when Sally met her. Immortality does that. But her eyes were not their usual vibrant blue. They were dull, and her eyes had bags under them. Sally hadn’t thought immortals got those.

“Oh, sweetie, how have you been?” Sally asks, pulling her in for a tight hug.

It hadn’t been long since Jason died, on a quest with Apollo, a little Demeter girl, and Piper. The funeral was in New Rome, a week or so ago. 

“I’m… well I’m trying,” the daughter of Zeus responded, head buried in Sally’s shoulder said. “I didn’t get enough time with him, I lost him for so long…”

Sally nods wordlessly. She can’t imagine Thalia’s pain. A big sister whose brother had been stolen for so long, just to die when they were starting to have real, no world threatening force, time to catch up. Immortals were supposed to have all the time they could ever want.

The little girl next to her is so silent Sally had barely noticed her. “Oh gods, I’m sorry for not saying hello,” she apologizes sheepishly, still with an arm around Thalia, who’s smudging her eyeliner.

The girl looks about twelve, with braided auburn hair and bright green eyes. She must be another of the huntresses, judging from her quiver and silver light jacket.

“It’s alright, Mrs. Blofis,” she smiles kindly, with too much composure for an actual twelve year old.

“Oh please sweetie, Sally is fine. Thank you for the groceries girls,” Sally says graciously. “I need to pay you back-”

“No no no,” Thalia cuts her off. She pulls out a silver credit card, with a bunch of Greek letters on it. “Courtesy of the infinite bank account of Olympus. Believe me, they owe you for raising a son who saved their asses however many times.”

“Well, at least let me make you girls some cookies.”

“Blue, right?” Thalia asks with a grin.

“Of course.”

The girls settle themselves, Thalia recounting a story at Hoover Dam to Sally about Percy swinging his sword through Rachel for blowing her nose. 

Sally brings the cookies out, bright blue and warm.

The other huntress glances curiously, “Blue cookies?”

“Oh yeah. Sally was married to some dickwipe who didn’t believe in blue food. She showed him wrong. Disgusting pig of a man, Medusa-headed him,” Thalia explains through mouthfuls of the cookies. 

“Interesting way of putting it, Thalia,” Sally laughs as she sits across the table from them. Thalia and Percy have a similar bluntness, as well as eating habits. It's been years since Gabe, and she could laugh at these explanations. He was a ghost of her past, and an impressive piece of art. 

“You’re a strong woman,” the other girl decides, taking a bite.

Sally beams. “Thank you-” she begins, before realizing she didn’t know her name.

“Artemis,” the girl supplies.

Sally’s face feels hot. A goddess in _her_ home, delivering _her_ groceries, and she hadn’t even known! “Lady Artemis, I’m so sorry-”

“No worries. Just Artemis is fine. It’s an honor to meet you. Perseus is one of the few good men left in this world. If not the only one. Only a saint like yourself could have raised him.”

Sally’s face gets redder. You don’t get complements like that everyday.

Before leaving, the three stand over Estelle sleeping in her crib. Artemis chants under her breath, closing her eyes.

“I’ve given her my blessing, although I can already see that she will be a strong girl.”

“Thank you Artemis,” Sally manages to say. How could she express her gratitude? She was already thankful enough they brought her groceries, now this? 

“We must be going, we promised Camp Half-Blood a capture the flag game. Thank you for your hospitality Sally.”

“No, thank you both. Really, I could not thank you enough.” Without thinking, she pulls them both into a hug. Is hugging a twelve year old, all powerful Olympian goddess appropriate? It seems so, as Artemis hugs her right back.

“Perhaps she can join the Hunt one day,” Artemis muses as they leave.

Sally pales slightly. Part of her really hoped not. One monster fighting child was enough.

Percy’s home from school. Unlike his stealthy cousins, he enters the apartment loudly, making his presence known.

Paul follows him in. “Honey, was Artemis just in our apartment?”

Thalia comes around with weekly groceries. Sally tells her they’re alright, and she’s really feeling bad about all of this money being spent, but Thalia says she needs this.

Needs this routine of doing Sally’s weekly grocery shopping.

You’d think a teenage girl doing your groceries would stock up on unhealthy candies and unnecessary, weird snacks. Surprisingly, everything is what Sally needs. A good mix of healthy food and some snacks, like blue jellybeans and the new blue frosted Pop Tarts. 

Thalia’s been taking some breaks from the Hunt. She’s been looking at Jason’s sketches for statues, taking some to work on. She stays in the Zeus cabin, where he left some of his things. Pictures with the Seven (and Nico, of course). Spare glasses, armor, the likes. She took some of his things from his dorm in California and put them there. 

_Gods_ , she misses him.

Of course, she isn’t leaving the Hunt. Just mourning. Artemis understands. If Apollo were to die (very possible in his mortal form), she wouldn’t be able to keep up a facade like everything was just fine. 

So Sundays are grocery days.

Thalia comes in with the bags, puts them away. Sally bakes. Thalia plays with Estelle, even buying her an infant sized Green Day shirt. They talk, both like mother and daughter, and like friends. 

Healing is a weekly process.

  
  



	2. a familiar soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nico drops in just in time to babysit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is an idea I've thought about a little and before you read it and bash me for the incorrectness I'm sorry. idk much about the whole rebirth thing so this probably couldn't happen but I like to believe it could. also chapters probably won't be entirely chronological because I'm dying to write older estelle but I've gotta trudge through the younger years u feel. also this is before Jason died. hope u enjoy sorry its short if u r still reading

Nico has never been a fan of kids. They remind him of what he was like. Annoying, obnoxiously loud, and kind of gross.

He’d been shadow traveling back and forth, trying to help Jason with sketches at his new school (in California, over 2,000 miles away, no biggie) and taking Cerberus to his yearly vet check up (don’t ask) through an entrance to the Underworld in New York. It was just too much. He needed a power nap, because with great responsibility comes a great need to nap.

So here he was in the Jackson-Blofis residence, forming from the shadows behind the living room couch. Percy perked up at his appearance. He was sitting at the dining room table, his little sister was bundled up in his arms, and it looked like he was trying to read a huge physics book while giving her a bottle. 

“Nico! Oh thank the gods, I’ve been trying to go pick up a pizza all day- here, take her for a couple minutes, I’m gonna run and get it,” Percy exclaimed, all while shoving the tiny _creature_ into his arms.

“But Percy-” Nico tried to interject, but Percy was fast, especially when motivated by food.

 _Shit_. It was in his arms. When someone throws you something you don’t want to be holding, you can just throw it back, right? Children were not like that. You had to acknowledge their fragility. 

“Dude, you’re the best. Don’t worry, I’ll get it half olive like you like.” With that, the son of Poseidon had left Nico with an infant.

When most people lock eyes with an infant, they’ll describe this moment of looking into the eyes of true innocence, say how cute the thing is, yada yada. 

Nico was not most people.

But something was off. It’s soul felt weird.

That’s a phrase you don’t hear everyday, (or maybe you do, who knows what Underworld business you deal with). But Nico could sense when a soul had been reborn. It wasn’t a constant feeling, because most people were on their first. He hadn’t told them, but he could sense Percy and Annabeth were both on their third. After this life, it was to the Isles of Blest they went. Unfortunately, he knew it was dangerous meddling with fate to tell them. The Fates would probably sew his lips shut if he even hinted to them.

Anyways, back to the creature in his arms. It was on it’s (he should probably start supplying a real pronoun) second life. Interesting, that a hero would be born into the Blofis family.

But even more than that, he had known this soul. 

“Hm, who could you be?” he asked her, as if the infant would respond.

Souls linger after choosing rebirth, waiting for a birth they’re drawn to. Nico had known plenty of heroes who died. Silena, Zoe, Beckendorf, Luke, Lee Fletcher, Bian-

 _No_. He couldn’t think that. Would a soul linger that long, waiting for a birth? And really, to be Percy Jackson’s sister? Gods, no way.

He couldn’t start thinking this way. He was too happy, dating the most annoying child of Apollo, having an actual home and actual friends and another actual sister. He couldn’t disturb his peace by wondering.

“Alright Estelle, let’s watch Disney channel.”

This seemed to be fine with her.

  
  
  


Percy returned in 1.5 episodes of The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Estelle was ready for a nap, so Percy put her in the crib in his parents room.

“Thanks man, it’s hard to do anything with a baby in one arm,” Percy said while stuffing his face with garlic knots. “How much did she cry? She’s a wreck around new people.”

Nico stopped mid bite of his pizza. He’d been so engulfed in his thoughts and Minnie Mouse’s dinner party he hadn’t even thought about how babies tended to be annoyingly noisy. “Actually, not at all. She just giggled occasionally.”

“Really? The first time Piper held her, she wouldn’t stop screeching until Piper busted out the charmspeak. I guess babies just like you,” he shrugged, finishing a third piece before Nico finished one.

Percy was one of the few people who knew him underneath the whole son of the most hated god layer. (In fact, they were good friends again, just like when they were younger teens and had occasional moments of not fighting). How many sane people could call the son of Hades someone _babies_ like?

“I guess,” Nico responded. He didn’t know what to make of Estelle Blofis and whoever her soul was yet.

  
  



	3. easter sunday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> paul's parents come for easter to meet their granddaughter, confusion ensured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't gonna post this chapter because halfway through it started to sound cringy to me but I lost too much sleep on a school night writing to throw it away. also if anyones still reading and has any ideas please comment and lmk!!! endless hugs to u if ur still reading

Easter had never been a big deal for the Jacksons. Sally had grown up Roman Catholic, although her family wasn’t devout. Upon meeting Poseidon, she saw the world and religion a much different way. So, Christmas became the only holiday that really mattered.

And then Gabe Ugliano came along, and a traditional Easter Sunday supper was forcibly put into place between the three. “ _Family time_ ”, he would call it. 

Overall, Easters were not a good memory.

But Paul’s family still celebrated, and they had yet to meet Estelle, so they were coming for the holiday.

It would be an understatement to say she was just nervous. Sure, she’d met Paul’s parents at the wedding. Laura and John were pretty run of the mill people, born and raised upstate. They seemed a tad judgmental of Sally’s… different lifestyle. Single mom, recently disappeared husband, delinquent son with a horrendous track record- not the best impression was left on them. 

Paul assured her to ignore them. He was too old to be caring what his parents thought, especially now being a parent himself.

“Are you sure it’s alright everyone’s still coming?” Sally asked him, worrisome. There had been very few instances Sally felt the need to impress anyone, but this was an exception.

When she’d been more confident about this Easter, she’d told Percy to invite some friends. Thalia, who was over Sundays anyways, Nico who could definitely use a Sunday meal (he was a package deal with Will), and Annabeth, for obvious reasons.

“Sally,” Paul sighed, taking his nervous wife’s hand. “They’re Estelle’s family too now. My parents are going to have to get used to it.”

“Seaweed Brain, the buttons aren’t lined up,” Annabeth chided Percy from the other room. The two were dressing up nicely, which for Percy hadn’t happened since the wedding a few years ago. 

She appreciated the effort.

Estelle was dressed in a little baby sweater, jeans, and a bunny ears headband.

“Is this what most families do for Easter? Is it Easter normal?” Sally asked Paul. She couldn’t imagine herself putting bunny ears on Percy, or even dressing him up as a baby. Worrying about keeping him alive generally and affording regular baby clothes had been hard enough.

“She looks perfect, Sally, don’t worry,” Paul reassured her.

“PICTURE TIME!” Percy yelled, barging in the room with a digital camera, Annabeth behind him. 

“Percy! I don’t even have makeup on yet,” Sally exclaimed, hiding her face in her hands.

“Mom, you look beautiful, you always do,” Percy countered, putting the camera to his eye. “Ready or not, I’m taking it.”

She and Paul quickly stood together, him holding Estelle up. Estelle was giggling as Paul tickled her, all three smiling. 

“Stay there! I’m taking a couple,” Percy said, gesturing them to stay together.

“He’s right, you know,” Paul whispered, trying to keep an unmoving smile as he spoke in between the flashes from the camera.

“ _Di immortales_ , Percy you’re such a mom. You’ve taken at least 20, you wanna blind the kid?” Annabeth said, grabbing the camera. “Now get in yourself, big brother.”

  
  
  


“You’re sure that was his Prius?” John asked pointedly, grabbing the pie they had brought from the backseat.

“Positive. I’d love to hear the explanation of why hoof prints are on his hood,” Laura responded as they got into the elevator to their son’s apartment. 

“Laura, you need to relax, it’s a holiday, okay? Don’t embarrass your son in front of his wife by babying him. You’re meeting your granddaughter-”

He was interrupted as a hand stopped the elevator from closing. “Sorry,” the guy said apologetically, stepping to the side of them, holding a pie. He was followed by another boy, both looking around sixteen. That’s where the similarities ended. The first boy was taller with honey colored curls, a deep tan, and bright blue eyes. A patch of freckles lined his nose. He was dressed nicely, white button up shirt and jeans.

The other boy was the night to the first’s day. Dark, unkempt hair and pale skin. He wore an orange shirt with strange letters and black, ripped up jeans. 

“It’s alright,” John said, smiling at the two. “What floor?”

“It’s already pressed, thanks,” the first boy responded, beamed. Immediately, he began to scold the shorter boy. “You know, I’m happy and all you’re finally wearing the camp shirt but it’s cold today! I knew I should've brought you a jacket. And look, your hairs in your eyes again! I thought Drew trimmed it last week!” He grabbed a hair tie from his pocket and started to put the shorter kid’s hair in a little bun.

The younger kid huffed, although not in a very genuine way. “Sorry, Doctor,” he said rolling his eyes.

The bickering didn’t seem very serious, just endearing if anything.

The elevator gave a ding and the doors opened. The boys politely stood aside for John and Laura to leave first. 

“Thank you,” Laura nodded as her and her husband exitted. 

“Excited?” John asked his wife as they walked briskly down the hallway.

“To meet my first granddaughter? Of course, dear.”

So far, Paul’s siblings, a sister and a brother, had both only had boys. They chatted as they reached the door. Laura knocked.

A moment later, elevator boys came from behind them. Tall boy hadn’t even noticed, still mom-ing his short friend. 

The door was opened by Paul. “Come in everyone,” he said, gesturing the four inside.

He gave his parents a quick hug. “Mom, Dad, this is Nico and Will,” he said, introducing them. “They’re…” Paul hesitated.

Will quickly picked up Paul’s thought, shaking their hands. “Nico’s Percy’s cousin, I’m his boyfriend,” he explained. 

The elevator scene made more sense to John now.

“Nice to meet you both,” he said.

  
  
  


Greetings were said. Laura and John were very pleased to meet their granddaughter, rocking her back and forth on their laps. They thanked Sally for having them as they awkwardly put their pie on top of Will and Nico’s pie in the fridge. 

Sally’s son had grown tremendously from when they last saw him. He no longer was the scrawny looking trouble maker they met at the wedding. He’d always been a good looking kid, but now he was tall and muscular, with messy dark hair and a chiseled face. Looking back and forth from Sally to Percy, you wouldn’t assume they were related. Sally’s features were soft, her hair mousy brown and she was much fairer. Percy had a very meditteranean look to him, Greek they assumed. 

His girlfriend and him sat comfortably together on the couch. Annabeth, her name was, a pretty blonde with startlingly gray eyes. They laughed together with Nico and Will, telling some story about Will’s father, John overheard. 

“Mom, when are we eating?” Percy asked, walking into the kitchen to grab plates to set the table.

“He thinks with his stomach,” Annabeth joked to Laura and John.

They laughed lightly, feeling thankful to be included.

“Thalia’s not here yet,” Sally responded from the kitchen.

“Oh Sally, let me help you,” Laura said, going to join her.

“Thalia?” John asked the group of teens.

“Another cousin,” Nico explained.

John noticed Percy raises an eyebrow at this response. Strange.

  
  
  


The third _cousin_ , Thalia, entered as they were all sat down. With her spiky black hair and leather jacket, she looked like she was going to a punk rock concert. Or living at one. “Sorry, uh, issue with my step-mom,” she explained, sitting down at the last spot between Annabeth and Sally. 

Annabeth wrinkled her nose at this, “hate her.” Sally seemed to nod in agreement.

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Thalia groaned. “You must be Mr. and Mrs. Blofis,” she said, demeanor changing completely. She stuck a hand out across the table, “Nice to meet you both,” she said. They returned the gesture. “Hey, munchkin,” she said to Estelle, making a silly face to which Estelle smiled.

Food was passed around and grace was said, although Sally, Percy and the other teens seemed to not know it. 

“So Percy, your full name is Perseus right? Did Paul ever tell you how into Greek Mythology he was?” John inquiried, making conversation. Although, he would like to know why he was named Perseus; not a name you hear everyday.

Percy and Paul both grinned at this like they knew something John didn’t. It was odd seeing their interactions. John hadn’t expected Paul to be so close with his step-son, he treated him so much like a son.

“Yeah, he may have mentioned that,” Percy replied. “I’m into Greek Mythology too, sometimes.” The last part had a tinge of bitterness. 

“Who’s your favorite hero? Hercules?”

The whole table seemed to laugh, sans John and Laura. It seemed like Greek myths were some big inside joke to them. Maybe being Greek, there was something funny about it? 

“Gods no,” he seemed to think for a minute, but John hadn’t missed how he said gods, like the plural. Did they believe in the Greek gods or something? Did people even do that? 

“Some of the best heroes are the ones no one writes about,” Percy decided, quite profoundly, then went back to his lasagna. 

Conversation shifted to more normal things, like stories from the wedding and college. Percy and Annabeth were going to a small private college in California. New Rome University. John had never heard of it, he’d probably look it up later.

The night was coming to an end and Laura told him they needed to get going. John decided he liked the odd bunch Paul now seemed so close with. Goodbyes were said warmly.

“Well Estelle, I’ll have to thank you for bringing us all together,” he said, holding his granddaughter close before leaving. “Thanks again for having us, Sally.”

  
  
  


John googled “New Rome University”, and sure enough it came up. Tuition was low and the acceptance rate was _1_ %. Odd.


	4. family tree mishaps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> estelle is overly invested in being related to ariel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk I just do not vibe w this chapter but I tried. i can't wait to write estelle as 12/13 and her actually learn about Percy's world. sorry this is a flop if anyone reads.

“Oh gods, not again,” Sally said, coming into the apartment.

Having Percy home for the Summer was one of her favorite things, as she missed him for a few months at a time while he was at NRU. 

He and Estelle were both watching The Little Mermaid.  _ Again _ .

Ever since he came home, it was all they would do. Percy seemed to find amusement in every Triton scene, telling Estelle that was his brother.

“So he’s my brother too?”

“Well… no.”

“But  _ you’re _ my brother. So why can’t he be  _ my _ brother too?”

“Yeah, okay, he can be your brother too,” Percy had decided instead of explaining a family tree.

“So I’m Ariel’s aunt!” Estelle realized halfway through the movie. It was an amazing discovery to her, as she made sure to remind Paul and Sally every couple minutes.

“Nice job Percy,” Paul joked. “Now she’ll think she’s related to every Disney princess.”

The two also decided to sing the movie’s soundtrack every waking moment. As adorable as her daughter was, Sally couldn’t take one more performance of  _ Under the Sea _ . 

  
  
  


Halfway through August with the money they had been saving, they decided to take a weekend vacation to Montauk, like her and Percy used to do.

She hadn’t realized, but the last trip they’d taken hadn’t ended very well. She put it to the back of her mind. Things were different.

So, Sally, Paul, Percy, Annabeth, and Estelle all piled into the Prius with their bags on an early Friday morning to avoid traffic.

“Are we gonna meet my niece?” Estelle asked from the back row in her booster seat, hugging an Ariel doll.

Annabeth gave Percy a questioning look. “Do I even want to know what that means?”

Percy laughed, realizing Annabeth had yet to witness Estelle’s false idea of her family tree. “Well, Triton’s my brother so Ariel’s my niece,” he explained, as if it made perfect sense.

“You never cease to amaze me.”

  
  
  


Paul was elected to break the news to his daughter. They would not be meeting Ariel.

“But Daddy,” she said, lip quivering. “I get to meet your family! Why not Ariel?”

Paul looked to Sally for help, but she kept her eyes on the road to not get involved. “Sweetie… Ariel’s not… she’s not a real person.”

“Percy lied?”

“No no no,” Percy added quickly, not wanting to get thrown under the bus. “My brother is real,” he explained, adding “unfortunately” under his breath. “But the movie made up his daughter, to make a story.”

“Are there even any mermaids?” she huffed, already disappointed enough.

“We’ll find some,” Percy promised.

  
  
  


They arrived around 9:00, Estelle eager to begin mermaid hunting. After everyone changed into bathing suits, they walked onto the beach.

“Percy, you need sunscreen! Skin cancer doesn’t discriminate,” Annabeth chided him.

“She’s right, Poseidon’s power doesn’t protect you from UV rays,” Sally backed her up.

“Great, two moms,” Percy grumbled, although not very convincingly, as Annabeth covered his back. 

“Hey,” Paul said, crouching down to Estelle’s level. Somehow the five year old girl in floaties and a big floppy hat looked intimidating, eyes full of angry determination to find a Disney princess. “If you can’t find mermaids, don’t feel too down. I’m sure you’ll see cooler fairytale people in your life,” he promised his daughter. Not many fathers could make this statement, but then again not many little girls had a half-brother related to the entire cast of Disney’s  _ Hercules _ .

“Percy promised,” she said with certainty.

“Well… alright sweetie. Be safe, okay? Stay close to Percy in the water.” Paul felt somewhat uneasy about her going into the water, which was normal for most dads. He, himself, had never been big on the ocean. It was intimidating and powerful, just like his wife’s ex who ruled it. Going to the beach as a child, he always preferred sitting on the sand and reading a good book, like Annabeth and Sally were.

The two spread out towels under an umbrella. Two had Cinderella on them (Estelle’s, obviously) and one was Annabeth’s with her college’s name  _ UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design. _

“Alright, Estelle, ready?” Percy asked, holding out a hand to his little sister.  
“Yeah!” 

  
  
  


Estelle climbed onto Percy’s back, little arms around his neck. He dove into the ocean, creating a bubble for his sister to breathe.

“Whoa,” she said with eyes round as plates. Even with her minimal ocean knowledge, like most five year olds, she knew most people did not breathe underwater. “I’m breathing! Am I a mermaid?”

“Well… no. I made this,” Percy explained in a nutshell.

They were far from the shore, and fish swam around them, all greeting their  _ lord _ , although Estelle couldn’t hear it. They huddled around the bubble, moving excitedly.

“Fishy!” she said, waving to each one separately. The fish gathered to make a wall, all trying to get as close as possible.

Suddenly, the wall parted, and two women swam through. Both swam like fish, quite literally, considering their tails.

“Hello, Perseus,” one said, with flowing mocha hair and crab claw horns. 

Estelle looked like she was ready to faint. “Ariel! And Ariel’s friend!” she exclaimed

The other woman giggled. “I suppose I do look like that cartoon, don’t I, sister?” Her long, bright red curls seemed to bounce as she laughed. 

“Amphitrite,” Percy addressed her warmly. Their relationship had greatly improved since he was 16. He even spent time at the Palace, and his step-mother treated him like her own. 

“This is my sister, Sao,” she introduced. 

“You have made quite a name for yourself, Perseus Jackson,” Sao said. “I watched you sail through the Sea of Monsters, being the nereid of safe passage and all. I’m impressed.”

“Thank you, my lady,” Percy replied respectfully. 

“And who might this be?” Amphitrite asked, waving at Estelle with a grin.

“My little sister- not Dad’s” he added in quickly. “She wanted to find a mermaid.”

“Well, I hope we’re close enough,” Sao said, handing Estelle the pearl and crab claw tiara from her head.

“For me?” she asked, bewildered.

“Oh yes, we make those all of the time.”

“Will it make me a mermaid too?”

“I’m afraid not, my dear.”

“I suppose, if you two are going back, we could stretch our legs,” Amphitrite added in.

Percy decided now was not the time to ask how that worked, and nodded as they began to swim back.

  
  
  


“I hope she’s not disappointed,” Paul said worriedly as he closed his book.

“I wouldn’t worry, they’re probably in Atlantis by now,” Annabeth said, not looking up from her own book. He considered asking if the Atlantis part was a joke, or if it was even real, but his daughter’s hopes were more important at the moment.

Sally noticed the worry on her husband’s face. “Paul, you do realize they will find a mermaid, right?”

“You’re kidding.”

“When I came here with Percy as a toddler, these women, it seemed like thirty of them altogether, would always looked over him. It worried me, I wondered if they had come to take him to his father. But I realized who they were, the Nereids. Sometimes they had tails if we were in the water. I’m sure they’ll come if Percy wants them-”

At that very moment, four figures (more like three and a quarter considering Estelle’s tiny size) emerged from the water, all dry. Percy held hands with Estelle, who was wearing some odd yet beautiful sea crown, and two women who looked like they belonged on Baywatch. 

The first was in a green one piece, with flowing black hair and bronze skin. The second was slightly fairer, with big red curls and a royal blue bikini.

No mortals seemed to mind this odd sight.

“MOM!  _ Dad _ ! Look! Mermaids! But no tails, not right now. But look! Percy’s aunt is Ariel!”

Percy cleared his throat. “Mom, this is Amphitrite and her sister, Sao.”

The introduction went much smoother than expected. “Sally Jackson,” she began, shaking her hand. “It’s an honor to meet.”

The rest of the afternoon was peaceful. Sao made sandcastles with Estelle modelled after the palace of Atlantis, as the other talked and relaxed. 

“So, am I your aunt?” Estelle asked Sao for the hundredth time.

  
  



	5. a royal wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> estelle's first wedding! hopefully more will follow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright, first off I'm so thankful for all the love this pic has got!!! anyone who's read, tysm!! I'm realizing I'm not always happy w chapters, as u see with my last few, so ill try to update slower and write more thought out, canon compliant situations.
> 
> also, I have not been to a wedding since I was 5 and the flower girl at my cousins wedding, where I was too nervous to walk down the aisle and had to be bribed with stuff animals (bratty kid, ik). so if ur wondering why there isn't much detail, its bc I literally how no idea how wedding processions work!
> 
> and lastly, I'm not loving my search history rn bc I searched up "cousin relation chart" and "wedding procession" right after. sweet home Alabama vibes
> 
> (EDIT: estelle should be 8 or 9 here, her and Percys age difference messes me up so that would make him 25 or 26 I hope)
> 
> hope u enjoy!

Estelle had never seen so many people (well, not entirely) in one place in her life. 

Her and her parents had just been given permission to cross the border into the place Estelle had heard countless stories about- Camp Half-Blood. 

Demigods, Greek and Roman (a few Norse, plus two out of place looking Egyptians) raced around, finishing the set up of decorations. Nymphs scattered flowers (which miffed her a bit, as she would be doing the same later as a flower girl), and satyrs played flutes to make the strawberry fields emit an even sweeter aroma than usual.

“Hey, Stella, nice dress!” Piper Mclean said in passing, as she sprinted by with a Sephora bag to the Athena cabin.

Estelle grinned. “You too!”

She turned back to her parents. “This place is amazing!”

“Want a tour?” a voice asked behind her. 

Thalia Grace was wearing something that she probably never would again in her immortal life- a dress. It was a silvery gray, like the other bridesmaids, and form-fitting, accentuating her lithe figure. She kept on her tiara that marked her as Artemis’ lieutenant. Her electric blue eyes were outlined with black eyeliner in a very 2009 fashion.

“Thalia! You look gorgeous,” Sally exclaimed, embracing her.

“You too Sally. Hey Paul. Mind if I give pipsqueak here the grand tour?”

“Not at all. Don’t do anything dangerous,” Sally replied.

  
  
  


“We are gonna do something dangerous, right?” Estelle asked, practically skipping as she followed Thalia to their first location, Percy’s cabin. They had to maneuver through many figures, seeing as a whole Pantheon was present.

“Sorry to break it to you little lady, but I hope you don’t do anything dangerous ever. Your mom’s gotten enough worries for her lifetime from your brother’s quest days.”

“Hmph. Maybe, I’ll go on a quest one day!” Estelle decided. She was in such awe of the Camp, she bumped into someone. “Oh, sorry!”

“No worries cutie,” the woman responded, gripping her glass of rose’ lightly. Her features fluctuated the closer Estelle looked, switching between all the prettiest women Estelle had ever seen. “Wait a second… you’re Aphrodite!” she guessed.

“Adorable and smart!” Aphrodite squealed. Thalia rolled her eyes in the love goddess’ direction. “I haven’t been to such a wedding since Hera and Zeus’,” she said to the sea nymph next to her.

“I don’t think they’d appreciate- hey… wait a second, were you even born yet?” The nereid asked with a furrowed brow.

“Well! We better keep moving,” Thalia intervened. “Nice to see you, Lady Aphrodite.”

“Those Artemis minions, always in such a hurry,” Aphrodite murmured as they moved on.

Estelle was astonished at how _magical_ the place was. If she had to pick between a day here and a weekend at Disney World, she would definitely pick Camp Half-Blood. She could imagine picking a cool bronze weapon, playing capture the flag, and sitting around the campfire.

She was overcome with jealousy. Yeah, she knew her brother faced death countless times, but his life had been full of thrills, quests, and falling in love. 

In her completely mortal life, how could she have such an epic love story?

  
  
  


The procession was perfect- or at least everyone said so. Estelle hadn’t been to another wedding to compare it to. But if the goddess of weddings who hates the bride can admit it was beautiful, it must’ve been pretty damn good.

Chiron was the priest, although she wasn’t really sure how that worked. Had he gotten a marriage license? What name would he even put it under? But in this “family”, who knows how anything works? Hell (or Hades, she was getting used to changing expletives) her brother was marrying his first cousin once removed, so anything’s possible.

Thalia and Piper were both maids of honor. Grover was the best man. Other bridesmaids were Rachel, Reyna, Hazel, Juniper, Clarisse, and some others she had never met. Time flew as Estelle’s mind was on autopilot. All she could focus on was her brother’s grinning face. If anyone deserved such happiness, it was him, she decided.

As soon as Chiron said “You may kiss the bride”, the crowd of what seemed like hundreds went wild. 

“I love you, Wise Girl,” he said before kissing her passionately. Their kiss was more like a mix between a kiss and huge, ear to ear, smiles against each other.

The recession was pretty nonexistent, as doves were flying, flower petals flew, and one voice, Clarisse’s, bellowed throughout the Camp. “You know the drill, old timers. The love birds need to cool off!”

  
  



	6. a goode orientation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> estelle isn't excited for her goode orientation. she doesn't count on making a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok.... im doing it... im making an oc for her to be friends with. normally I dislike ocs but cmon I don't have much to work w considering there isn't much canon estelle. any guesses on Adrien? ;)))) I have some ideas for him for future school estelle chapters. also disclaimer; I am an uncultured high school junior; idk much about cars or the coast guard etc so if anythings incorrect my bad. hope u enjoy!! thank u to anyone following this story

High school orientation. Estelle was not thrilled.

As a child, she had been extroverted, mindlessly socializing with everyone, even gods, without a care. Now, she was thirteen and had grown the angsty shell most teenagers did. 

Her dad being a teacher probably wouldn’t help in the friend department, which she was severely slacking in. None of her middle school friends would be attending Goode. 

“Estelle, let’s hit the road!” Paul said cheerfully, pouring his coffee into a to go cup. He kissed Sally on the cheek.

“Dad, it doesn’t start for two hours!” she groaned, throwing her head back on the couch.

Percy was there to wish her luck on this terrible milestone of being a teenager. He sat at the dining room table, grading papers, as he was a teacher himself. Why her brother had chosen to be a teacher she couldn’t fully comprehend. He could be anything if he really wanted to (even a god, she had learned). An Olympic swimmer, a marine biologist, or even just help at Camp. But he had chosen to teach the classics, latin and such. He claimed he probably wouldn’t be there today without a teacher, and that more kids needed positive influences. 

Being a god sounded cooler.

“Stella, your Goode orientation won’t be worse than mine was.”

“Oh please, you probably weren’t a friendless loser,” she scoffed. Percy was definitely the coolest person she knew (well, besides Thalia). No way he had any social issues in school. Also, _gross to think about,_ her old friends, who all were attending the same high school, loved talking about how _hot_ her brother was. Surely, girls were all over him.

“Actually, I blew up the band room and was almost expelled before the year started,” he admitted, putting happy faces stickers all over an essay.

“How does that even happen?” Estelle laughed.

“Don’t give her any ideas,” Sally laughed, reorganizing their bookshelf.

“Two empousai, man-eating vampires, attacked. But I always got the blame from monster attacks,” he said. “And, correction, I was pretty friendless. After Rachel left, I didn’t really have anyone besides your dad. Most demigods aren’t all that popular in school. Things kept happening that made me need to create weird excuses, and just generally make me seem like a weirdo,” he shrugged.

If high school sucked for Percy, there was no hope for her.

  
  


Goode looked like most schools. Estelle had been there before, when she tagged along with her dad on her own days off from school.

“I have some things to set up, so you could stay here in the gym if you’d like,” her father said, gesturing to an empty seat on the bleachers.

“Alright dad. I’ll see you when the torture commences,” she said, plopping down and sticking an earbud in. 

He laughed at his daughters' antics, and left to hang up more obnoxious _Goode is good!_ signs. 

She stared at her phone boredly. Her middle school friend group of girls was gone. They stuck together for high school, promising Estelle to hang out, but that never happened. 

Even if Percy hadn’t been the popular boy she imagined he was in high school, she was still envious. The school year, sure, he could’ve been a weirdo. But during the summer, he was no weirdo. He was Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, savior of _literally_ everything. She was just Estelle Blofis, hopelessly mortal little girl. At her age, Percy had sailed the Sea of Monsters. Her biggest accomplishment was memorizing The Little Mermaid soundtrack, an embarrassing childhood obsession. 

She didn’t have much to do on her phone, being so friendless- scratch that- not having any friends under the age of 25. There was Thalia, at least, who appeared 15. 

She could text them on their Celestial Bronze iPhones (which didn’t attract monsters, thanks to Leo), but her heart wasn’t in it. She just wanted this stupid orientation to be over with.

A voice interrupted her silent teen angst. “Uh… is this where we wait for orientation to start?” 

The voice’s owner was a boy obviously her age. His hair was dark brown, a neat buzzcut. His eyes were a brilliant cerulean, much brighter than most eyes. His features were delicate, but still very handsome. He wore a _U.S. Coast Guard_ t-shirt and cargo pants, despite the New York Summer heat. 

_Shut up Estelle,_ she could imagine Thalia saying. _Boys are gross._

 _Ooh, he’s cute!_ Her internal Piper said.

 _Answer his question,_ internal Annabeth said, snapping her back to reality.

 _Who else would be an hour early for orientation?_ She thought.

“Oh, yeah,” she said, absentmindedly. 

“Cool,” he said awkwardly, still standing.

Estelle raised an eyebrow. “Wanna sit?”

“Sure.”

Wonderful. Her first interaction of high school was insanely awkward.

“I’m Adrien,” he said, holding out a hand. Her eyebrows furrowed at the hand. It was 2024, and most teenagers did not shake hands. Was she supposed to dap him up, like most kids would? His whole vibe was strangely formal, so she ruled that out.

She went for the handshake, which seemed like the correct response.

“Estelle,” she said, a grin on her face. She took out her earbuds. Maybe it was time to actually attempt at having one friend before the year officially started. She tried to muster up the old Estelle confidence. The one who at her brother’s wedding asked the god of the sea if he had ever watched The Little Mermaid.

“So, what brings you here an hour early?” she asked.

“My dad said he had some work to do on Long Island, so I had to come early,” Adrien said. He was smiling a little too, like he was also glad to make an acquaintance so early on. “What about you?”

 _Oh gods._ She hadn’t been excited to have to tell people her dad taught here. Most kids back away from that, figuring teachers’ kids are snitches. But Adrien seemed all prim and proper, so Estelle figured he wouldn’t mind. “My dad teaches here, Mr. Blofis,” she admitted. “He’s here to set up.”

“Cool,” he said, as his phone vibrated. She didn’t mean to look, but this kid set his phone on the _SOS text tone alert_ for his dad, so it was hard to ignore as the phone buzzed repeatedly. He blushed embarrassedly. It made Estelle laugh goodnaturedly. 

His lockscreen was of a bunch of sea animals. She could name all of them, thanks to Percy.

“You like the ocean?” she asked. This made his face redder, she realized he probably thought she was making fun of him. 

This started up an admittedly nerdy conversation about the ocean, of all things. His dad was a coast guard, so he was really invested in the ocean. So was Estelle, growing up with Percy and weekly aquarium trips.

They began to talk about everything. Estelle learned he lived right around the corner from her. His dad and him had just moved from Berkeley, so he was incredibly nervous about making friends. He didn’t mention a mom in the picture, but Estelle knew better than to pry. After all, just about none of Percy’s friends had living, human moms. Sally was that to them. His dad loved the ocean, the animals, conservation, and studying the storms.

Estelle told him a watered down version of her life. Her brother loved the ocean too, and for the longest time thought he would make a career of it, but chose teaching instead. His wife, Annabeth, was the head of an architecture firm, and did some of her own work on the side. Her brother and her had the same mom, but Estelle was still really close with his dad’s side of the family. 

They talked during orientation too, which was insanely boring. “If I have to hear ‘Goode is good’ one more time…” she whispered, earning a laugh from Adrien. She saw her dad look at the two during a presentation, but he looked more glad his daughter had found a friend than upset she wasn’t listening to class choices.

When it was over, she got a text from her dad. _Staying to clean up, Percy said Nico can give you a ride home. Lol!_ (Paul was still under the impression this meant lots of love, neither her nor Percy would correct him).

“Want a ride home?” she asked Adrien.

He looked hesitant, like he didn’t want to impose. “Are you sure?”

“Oh, please, you live like a minute away,” she rolled her eyes. “Race you outside,” she said, beginning to weave her way in and out of students trying to exit the gymnasium.  
“Not fair!” he called out, trying to keep up.

Nico was already there. His car was incredibly out of place, in line with white Suburbans and gray Range Rovers. He drove a Jaguar from the 60’s, making it a bit younger than him. Hades had decided Nico was old enough to drive himself and let Jules-Albert retire, so he felt that giving his son a bunch of old luxury cars was reasonable.

“Hey,” she greeted, sliding into the front seat. She gestured for Adrien to follow, as it was a coupe with one row of seats. “This is Adrien, can we drive him home since he lives a block away?”

“Yeah, of course. I’m Nico,” Nico said, meeting eyes with Adrien. Suddenly, he looked confused. Estelle raised an eyebrow, it was as if Nico had seen Adrien before or something. Nico seemed to shrug it off, regaining composure. The car ride was quiet, in a good way. Estelle played music on her phone as the car was too old for an AUX, and she basked in the open summer sun. Adrien seemed to be smiling too.

When they dropped him off, Adrien thanked Nico politely and they exchanged phone numbers, to keep in touch before school started.

Nico gave her a grin as they pulled away. “So, _Adrien_ ,” he teased.

Her face reddened. “Oh shut up, ghost boy.”

Estelle figured maybe now, she’d have a _Goode_ year.

  
  



	7. a huge step forward in super-ugly neorealism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sally's never actually been a sculptor, estelle learns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk if im satisfied w how I wrote this but oh well!!! I've had the idea for so long. now im fresh out of ideas for chapters ugh. tysm for all the kudos and comments all of them mean sm to me :)

Art was Estelle’s favorite class. The teacher, like most art teachers, was a chill, eccentric woman. Mrs. Reynolds reminded her a lot of Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Her and her closest friend Adrien would spend the period chatting and staying loosely on task, although she always got her work done.

So naturally she was ecstatic for a field trip to a museum.

She grinned as she took a permission slip from the pile. Adrien, however, frowned.

“Missing a  _ whole _ day of school? That’s so much classwork to make up,” he said worriedly.

“That’s half the fun- missing school,” Estelle countered. “Plus, it’s not the Met. I’ve been there way too many times.”

“Alright class,” Mrs. Reynolds announced. “The field trip is next week, so you’ll need to have those signed within a few days. Our chaperones will be myself, Mr. Boring, and Mr. Blofis. That’s all, back to your masterpieces!” 

Estelle hid her face in her hands. Whenever her dad was mentioned, the whole class felt the need to look at her. Or when older kids who took his class complained about his classwork, (never really him, he was a generally liked teacher) they would give her a glance and whisper. She hated the attention.

And of course her dad had to chaperone this. 

“That’s cool your dad’s coming,” Adrien said as he painted a ceramic dolphin.

“Not really,” she groaned. 

Adrien shrugged. “I wish my dad had the time.”

She felt guilty for complaining about her dad. Growing up, she was surrounded by people with very little time with their parents, if any.

  
  
  
  


The bus ride wasn’t long. She and Adrien sat closer to the front of the bus, being freshmen and all. Her dad was just a seat in front of her, trying to make conversation with the most ancient teacher in the school, Mr. Boring, and was failing miserably as the guy was obviously  _ bored. _ Estelle and Adrien laughed at his attempts.

Their guide was waiting at the front. It was a modern, square looking building like about 50% of art museums were. They always seemed to have either Greek architecture or completely modern, no in between. Annabeth would probably be able to design something original, she thought to herself.

The first twenty minutes were pretty interesting, as the exhibits in the front had an ocean theme. She and Adrien took turns taking pictures of each other in front of them, and her dad embarrassingly insisted on getting a picture of them both to send to her mom.

“We have a private collector who’s displaying his collection this month here,” the guide continued as she led them into a deeper section. “All of these pieces are made by New Yorkers, which is pretty cool. Maybe one of your pieces will end up here one day,” she said optimistically to the group.

She spoke about each individually, until she got to one that made Estelle’s father gasp.

“This is The Poker Player,” the guide woman said cheerfully as she had done for the rest, which Estelle didn’t know why it would cause her father to pale.

Sure, it was ugly. It was some overweight guy with like, two pieces of hair on his head. He was in a wife beater that was a size or two too small, and holding a hand of cards. The face, however, was off. The guy looked downright terrified, like he’d just witnessed a murder.

She kind of saw why it was scary, it looked  _ so _ real. 

“That is one gross dude,” Adrien whispered to her.

“Yeah,” she agreed weakly, still wondering why her dad was being so weird.

“Critics have called it a huge step forward in super-ugly neorealism. The sculptor has no other works, but this lifesize sculpture of her deceased husband was worth quite a lot. She, too, is a New Yorker, Sally Jackson.”

“Holy shit,” Estelle exclaimed aloud, accidentally. Normally, her dad would give her a look, but he was still in his state of shock. And now she understood why.

The others, however, were fazed, especially the tour guide, as if she was being disrespectful.

“Sorry!” she quickly corrected herself. “It’s just… my mom made that, Sally Jackson, and I’ve never seen it in person,” she said, to excuse herself.

“Wow! What are the odds!” The tour guide’s forced work smile reappeared. “Oh! And sorry for the loss of your…” She seemed to search for the word, whether this was Estelle’s father or step-father or otherwise.

“It’s fine.”

Adrien shuffled uncomfortably. “I’m sorry for saying that- I didn’t realize-”

“It’s alright,” Estelle reassured him. “The point is that it’s ugly. Just like he was.”

Adrien nodded, not seeming to want to pry.

Estelle was never told much about Gabe, as it was one of the worst parts of her mother and brother’s past. She knew his grossly mortal odor kept her brother alive for several years, but she had figured out herself how terrible he was. She knew her mother still had marks from his abuse, and that he hadn’t always spared Percy, although Percy didn’t find out he was hitting his mother until he was twelve. 

And one day he left, Percy must’ve threatened him or some godly force incinerated him for being such a dickwad. Although, she never got a confirmation.

“I never knew mom sculpted,” she said, going up to her father.

“She didn’t,” Paul said absently, looking at the statue like he wanted to roundhouse kick it.

Estelle gave him a dazed look. “What do you mean she never sculpted?” she asked hesitantly.

Her father took a deep breath to regain composure. “Stell, you know how Percy would tell you stories about the guy he’s named after?”

“Yeah… Perseus.”

“You know his favorite, right?”

She remembered, and it wasn’t his most famous feats, like saving Andromeda or killing Cetus or slaying Medusa.

“When he brought the head of Medusa to his mother’s wedding because that guy was trying to marry her- Oh. Oh wow,” she realized.

Her father nodded and gave her a light squeeze on the shoulder as the tour continued.

Adrien stayed back for her to catch up.

“Everything good?” he asked, voice full of genuine concern.

“Yeah,” she responded. “Just thinking about how badass my mom is.”

  
  



	8. internet safety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> estelle learns about the summer of 2006.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! I really suck w updates but I have some I think solid ideas for new chapters. from the comments I've got people like Adrien which makes me so happy :) im scared to involve his little storyline so heavily bc im not sure if people will lose interest :( anyways as u can see im a sucker for involving little pjo parts into this but every line in it is beautiful and ya. hope u guys like this and thank u for the support!!! 2000 hits and I didn't even think two people would click on it. :,)
> 
> also I kinda frequently update my other fic I have more fun wriiting, freaks and geeks if u wanna read
> 
> also also I just learned rick disapproves and fics and im kinda sad and feel guilty for writing this but!!! oh well lets see how long this lasts

Assemblies were _such_ a drag. Goode tried, they really did, but Estelle’s whole rambunctious grade in the auditorium for an hour was even less ideal than second period biology.

At least she had found Adrien to sit with.

“Hey,” she greeted, plopping down in a seat as close to the back as possible.

“What do you think this is gonna be about?” he asked, joining her.

His blue eyes sparkled as he surveyed the large room, bouncing his leg. 

So far, he was Estelle’s best friend. She talked to other kids in her classes, but she didn’t hang out with anyone as much as Adrien.

And maybe, just maybe, she had a _little_ crush. Not that would tell anyone, as she was severely lacking in the girl friend (under 25) department. 

He was just a relatively perfect person. His hair was neat and short, although if he went too long without cutting it curls emerged. His eyes were a brilliant blue, like the sea on beautiful day. Beauty marks sprinkled his face, all in the right places.

Adrien was a by the book kid. He wouldn’t cheat on a test even when the whole class took advantage of teachers blind eyes to phones underneath the desks, snapping pictures into a class group chat. When he asked a teacher to use the restroom, he _actually went._ She teased him endlessly, but secretly she found it adorable.

He had no mom in the picture, but his rule following rigidness all came from his father being a Coast Guard. He travelled a lot.

Adrien, however, wanted to be a Marine. He looked military ready, with the perfect posture, cargo pants and neat hair.

Back to the present, because Estelle really needed to stop zoning out, she answered. “Dad said it’s on internet safety. You’re in luck,” she teased. Adrien had no social media, except a Snapchat with a score of 235. 210 of that was probably her spamming him with funny filters.

“Haha, very funny. Social media is damaging.”

“Yeah, not having it has sorely damaged you from developing a sense of humor,” she said with mock seriousness, but he still laughed, elbowing her playfully.

Suddenly, a microphoned was being tapped. “This thing on?” their ancient principal asked.

There was an uproar of laughter from the audience, so he continued. “Today, our topic is…” He fumbled with a remote control, trying to press a small button to change the PowerPoint slide. Bold, red letters popped up. “Internet safety!”

The next 15 minutes were mind numbingly boring. Even Adrien got bored, and he always hung on teachers’ every word. 

“So, if you would all take out your school issued tablets, as I’ve instructed your teachers to ask you to bring.” 

Estelle looked down at her empty lap. “Hey, mind sharing?” she asked Adrien sheepishly.

“Sure,” he said, putting the Dell computer between their laps. “Forget yours?”

Estelle decided to not mention how she’d really dropped it from their fourth story deck. She’d been actually trying to do an English essay out there, getting fresh air, when Nico shadow travelled next to her, scaring her out of her wits and making her toss the stupid thing. She didn’t even have autosave on.

Safe to say, the computer didn’t have a chance of survival. Death upon impact.

“I dropped it,” she said stupidly.

“Oh, nice.”

Their principal continued. “Try searching up your name and see what comes up. Yahoo? Bing? Aol? Whatever you kids use.”

Another teacher whispered to him.

“Google, yes. Google your names. See what cyber footprint you have left.” 

“After you,” she told Adrien. He typed in _Adrien Tedesco._ Things about his father came up, as well as the schools High Honor Roll list. He shrugged, uninterested.

Estelle took it, writing _Estelle Blofis._ Not much on her either. Her Instagram came up, but that was pretty much it. “Booooring,” she groaned. A whole assembly for this.

“Try looking someone else up,” Adrien suggested.

She shrugged. “I’ll try my brother.” She typed the name, expecting nothing interesting: _Percy Jackson._

The browser worked slower and there were hundreds of results. The first thing to come up was a newspaper article, headlined “ASSUMED FUGITIVE ACTUALLY KIDNAPPED: INNOCENT” with a picture of her brother’s young face. He had a wild look in his eyes, despite being around twelve.

“Whoa,” Adrien said, eyes wide open. “Your brother was a fugitive?”

Estelle hastily clicked on it. It described her mom and Percy missing, as reported by Gabe Ugliano. There were pictures of Percy in multiple locations, although misty. 

The article revealed that 12 year old Percy Jackson was no fugitive spreading terror nationwide, but kidnapped with two other kids, Annabeth and Grover she assumed since it was when his first quest she knew of took place. 

_Percy Jackson, just twelve, battled his kidnapper bravely on the shore before authorities arrived,_ it read.

“Your brother is badass,” Adrien said to her side, she’d forgotten he too was reading. “You look surprised, did he never mention this?”

Estelle shook her head. How had Percy never mentioned this? But then again, he was half god. In the grand scheme of his life, a mortal thing like this must not have been such a big deal to him, unlike the quest it really was. She tried to recall the details of the quest. Zeus’ bolt had been stolen, and Percy was forced to find it from some vague prophecy. But who was the kidnapper?

She took out her phone, clicking the Percy contact. _who “kidnapped” u in 2006? lmao_ she typed.

Adrien looked at her in shock. “Not to pry but… did you just ask your brother about a _probably_ traumatic event and use l-m-a-o?”

Estelle shrugged. “He’s found closure, I’m sure.” Her phone buzzed. _Ares HAHAHAHA_ Percy’s response said. 

She sent him a GamePigeon and slipped her phone into her jacket pocket. “His annoying cousin, not mom’s side.” 

Adrien tried to nod, although she could tell how casual she spoke confused him. If only he knew. “There’s a video,” he pointed out.

She clicked. It was Percy being interviewed. The person interviewing him held the microphone to his face to speak. His face was battered and his already unruly hair sticking in every direction. His eyes were full of tears that looked fake to Estelle at least. “All I want is to see my _loving_ stepfather again,” he said dramatically, looking straight at the camera, making his lip quiver. Estelle had to snort, laughing aloud at her brother’s theatrics. 

“I’m guessing he doesn’t mean your dad,” Adrien noted. 

“Yeah, he’s just fucking with them,” Estelle clarified. 

“Every time I saw him on TV, calling me a delinquent punk,” Video Percy continued. “I knew somehow… we would be okay.” His eyes began to twinkle mischievously, and the tears stopped flowing. “And I know he’ll want to reward each and every person in this beautiful city of Los Angeles with a _free_ major appliance from his store. Here’s the phone number.” A 917 number appeared in bold letters on the screen. 

“Wow… your brother knew how to mess with that Gabe guy,” Adrien whistled.

 _have u ever looked up ur name?_ She texted Percy.

  
  



	9. aunt estelle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so!! before u begin note this fic will be mostly chronological but if I have an idea prior to the timeline I''ll write it and make it obvious hopefully whats going on. I feel like percy and annabeth wouldn't have kids too fast, so they're 29ish here just to specify. this fic is literally my coping mechanism and all I look forward to doing in my life rn lmaooo so ty for reading every kudos and comment makes my day!! <3 suggestions always welcome! more notes at the end

Her brother’s apartment became a second home to Estelle. It wasn’t too far from her own apartment, but with her mother out doing meetings for a future book and father at work, she often came there after school. 

It was a good size, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a study. The inside was beautifully decorated, assumedly all Annabeth’s doing. There was an obvious color scheme, pale blues and neutral tones. It resembled Percy’s cabin at Camp Half-Blood, but more personal. Pictures were everywhere, framed or on cork boards. There were quite a few of Estelle herself, some from vacations as a baby to Montauk or recent school pictures. Other people were there too, some she didn’t even recognize. 

It was just another Wednesday afternoon, and Estelle threw her bag on the floor and plopped down on the plushy couch. She lazily scrolled on Instagram, listening to music. Percy should’ve been home in half an hour or so, then Annabeth. 

Estelle almost dozed off, until the door opened abruptly. Her first thought was a monster must’ve barged in, because most of her brother and sister-in-laws surprise visitors could either shadow travel or appear out of thin air from godly powers. Thank the gods it was just Annabeth, because Estelle was most definitely not a fighter.

Her face was flushed and her blonde hair a sweaty mess. She threw her purse on the ground, not even giving Estelle a glance, and ran to the bathroom.

Estelle jumped up. “Annabeth, you okay?”

The sound of vomit in the toilet followed. Estelle ran to the bathroom to follow. She grabbed Annabeth’s hair back into a ponytail.

“Did you eat something bad?” she asked as Annabeth heaved.

“No… gods no…” she groaned in response.

“Should I call Percy? Or Mom?” Estelle asked, beginning to leave for her phone.

Annabeth stood up quickly. “No! No calling anyone yet!” she exclaimed. “I just… I need to run to the store, okay? Just stay here… gods…. This wasn’t what I planned.”

Estelle raised an eyebrow. “I can drive you!”

Annabeth managed to laugh despite prior seriousness. “Have you forgotten you’re twelve?”

“Oh, please. How hard can it be? Only four years till my permit! Anyways, I’m coming. Are we getting medicine?”

Annabeth put her face in her hands. “No, just a test.”

The two got into Annabeth’s light blue Subaru Crosstrek, Annabeth being in the driver’s seat.

“Wait a second… a test… Oh my gods I’m gonna be an aunt!” Estelle exclaimed, grinning ear to ear.

“You don’t know that yet!” Annabeth murmured. 

Estelle frowned. “You don’t want kids?” She always knew Percy was looking forward to being a dad. Annabeth would definitely be a good mom, but she’d never mentioned it.

“I do,” she said, frustrated. “I was thinking a year from now, maybe. I wanted us to plan the exact moment we were gonna-”

Estelle put her hands loosely over her ears. “Before you continue, please remember this is my brother, before any grossness.”

Annabeth nodded. “You know what I mean. What are we going to name her? Or him, I guess. And I need to make a nursery! And-”

“You haven’t even taken the test yet,” Estelle reminded her.

“Alright well, I guess we’ll see.”

Estelle waited outside while Annabeth used it. Just as she exited the bathroom, Percy opened the door. “Hey! My two favorite girls,” he said as he went to kiss Annabeth on the cheek. He squinted at what was in her hand. “What’s that? Is that what a tampon looks like- holy Hera.”

Annabeth paled, “I was just feeling sick and I went to go buy it and I know I should’ve called right away and holy shit it’s positive and-” she rambled before Percy interrupted.

“Look Wise Girl, I’m really happy. But if you’re not really happy with this at this very moment, we can talk about it and I won’t be upset or anything,” Percy whispered, taking her hands. 

Annabeth took a shaky breath. “No, I’m happy. I feel right about this. Do you?”

“Of course.”

Estelle butted in. “I, too, feel very right about this, to settle the vote.”

They laughed. 

“I guess Seaweed Brain Junior is on the way.”

Estelle thought for a moment. “Wouldn’t it be funny if when precautions… weren’t taken, like this-”

“Oh gods Stella-”

“That the kid just immediately popped out of your head Annabeth?”

Annabeth paled. “That would be terrifying.”

“Percy, we’re not naming our kid after Blackjack, no matter how much he asks!”

Estelle thought for a moment. “I like Ariel, for a girl.”

“I second that,” Percy added.

“Gods help us.”

Atalanta Jackson was born on November 2nd at 12:12 pm, with stormy gray eyes and tufts of dark hair. Estelle was the third person to hold her.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> percabeths kids name always feels so controversial tbh everyone has their own name. sometimes I see ppl give their kids any old name and I get kinda ://// like this is Perseus and annabeth.... I refuse to believe they're naming their kid anything normal. but I respect when ppl make it after their dead friends, especially beckendorf. and silena and Zoe and Bianca idk why but im iffy on Luke because thats a weird dynamic idk. 
> 
> anyways I chose Atalanta because firstly I love Sallys whole "names have meaning" thing. also if you have ever read Freakonomics, a really good book I read for AP Lang before dropping it one day into the school year, it's pretty backed up that children manifest their names. 
> 
> Atalanta as u prob know was one of the greatest Greek heroes, especially as a woman she's pretty recognized. When Rick was asked who inspired Annabeth, he said Atalanta, a badass lady with blonde hair. (ik I didn't make her blonde oops) 
> 
> She lead a pretty kick ass life besides being turned into a lion with her husband at the end idk thats also sick
> 
> also cmon Percy's kid is Atalanta which sounds like Atlantic ok. tbh this names so sick I'd name my kid it
> 
> so yeah theres my justification. need a nickname tho bc Atalanta is a mouth full
> 
> if I end up not vibing w it I might change it but I do for now


	10. insecurities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> teenagers tend to feel inferior to those around them. growing up mortal in a godly world makes this significantly harder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whats a character without an internal conflict! tbh if I was estelle I'd be a mess like... where my powers @. next few chapters will prob have a lot of Adrien so if anyones keeping up but forgot about him feel free to go refresh ;)))
> 
> love u all

As an insecure teenage girl, Estelle was starting to hate mirrors.

Puberty was not working in her favor, she decided.

She stood in her room, examining herself in her long mirror.

Her hair was an unruly mess of mousy brown curls. It was impossible to tame. Straightening it was just hours of work that in the long run made it even worse, as heat damage frizzed it even more.

Before high school, she’d let it run wild, but now it seemed like every girl either had perfect hair in the first place, or knew how to manage it with products. Even with Annabeth’s help, she couldn’t find the right routine.

Her skin was flaring up, and Proactiv commercials really were bullshit. The three step formula was not doing the price justice. The redness remained, with cheekbone zits coming up as fast as they went. Piper had suggested naming it.

She found her eyes boring. Percy had been blessed with his father’s, intense and sea green. Estelle’s were plain brown. Not really a warm chocolate like Nico’s, or dark and intimidating like Reyna’s. Just a dull brown.

Puberty was awkward. She knew her body was becoming, well, more womanly, but she felt gawky.

Not that it really mattered. She dressed like most teens in New York during the winter. A hoodie and sweats tucked into socks. It felt like a safety cocoon. 

Her insecurities didn’t stop with her appearance.

Growing up as the sister of Percy Jackson had it’s upsetting moments.

Family dinners were a lot of his stories around her age. She loved hearing them, but in comparison to her own life, she felt lame. His powers seemed endless: water control, breathing under it, causing storms, causing earthquakes, talking to horses, and even more she’d probably forgotten about. He was just so much cooler, even the goldfish in her room seemed to think so. (Goldie always perked up when he came to her room, calling him my lord apparently. She didn’t get this treatment, and she fed him twice a day!)

Her powers consisted of: seeing through the Mist (which wasn’t that cool at all. It seemed like a backhanded power, like being able to actually see? Wow, how cool!), and memorizing The Little Mermaid soundtrack.

She was too surrounded by people who had saved the world. Estelle couldn’t even remember to save her work on Microsoft Word.

Piper could get things with just her voice, Nico could teleport, and Thalia could live forever.

Annabeth told her she didn’t have any physical powers, but it didn’t make her feel much better. It was Annabeth, she was badass in her own half-godly way.

Holding her niece, Attie (nicknames for her mouthful of a name were a work in progress), she felt so inferior. This baby could probably crawl off to save the world with it’s Poseidon powers and Athenian brain.

Even her best friend Adrien seemed like he had a purpose in life going. He was more disciplined than any thirteen year old ever, probably, (except for those Romans) and knew where he was going. The military. Why was everyone around her a badass?

Maybe, just maybe, one day she’d say screw it and be a Hunter of Artemis. Hanging out with Thalia, killing monsters forever? The dream right there.

But the biggest rule: no boys. Adrien…

“Stella! Time to get going!” her father called from the other room, interrupting her thoughts.

She bid her mirror goodbye to start the school day.

  
  



	11. reborn (keep movin’ forward)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nico can sense familiar spirits of the reborn. coincidentally, they're all around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> does this line up w canon? probably not! do I care? mildly! hope this is any good (chapter title from kids see ghosts)

Physical contact wasn’t something Nico di Angelo had always experienced. After the war, there was Will, of course.

A _lot_ of physical contact there.

But he began to babysit Estelle often. After the first time, he allowed himself to be curious. He sensed she was a familiar soul, the rebirth of someone he was once incredibly close to.

Sometimes, he would just be holding her, a chaotic bundle of toddler energy, and he would see rippling, distorted images. Mythomagic cards being passed back and forth. A green cap being tossed on a bed. Playing arcade games. A new, silver parka. 

He couldn’t tell anyone. Atropos would snip his string faster than he could say “Your little sister is B-”

Her brown eyes seemed just like his own sister’s. Big brown doe eyes framed by dark lashes. 

All those years ago, he’d blamed Percy Jackson. Hated him, wanted him dead.

But without him, Nico wouldn’t be able to see her.

As Estelle got older, they got closer. He showed her Mythomagic, and she loved Poseidon, but admitted Hades was cool as well. 

In seventh grade, he convinced her to choose Italian as her foreign language for school. He would help her with all of her homework, although sometimes messed her up with his Venetian mother tongue, when the curriculum was strictly the Tuscan standard. 

When she was eleven, she was Nico and Will’s flower girl. 

He had to rein her in a few times at the reception, as she kept pestering his father, lord of the dead, that “If you’re really the god of the dead, why can’t you bring back my goldfish, Phillip?”

Hades even cracked a smile. “You Jacksons love to demand things of me.”

 _“Blofis,_ actually,” Estelle had corrected.

She was a freshman in high school, now. Nico found her similarities to Bianca unsettling. Their upturned, button noses. Both shy at times, and would chew their nails when nervous.

He was in the Blofis’s kitchen, starting to make dinner, as Estelle came home from school. She was followed by the boy from school he’d met after their orientation. Aaron, maybe.

“Nico!” Estelle exclaimed as she saw him. “Just in time to help me and Adrien do our Italian project!”

“Sorry Stell, sounds like cheating,” he joked, ruffling her hair as she darted to the fridge to grab two Cokes.

The kid, Adrien, brushed by as well. But the kitchen was cramped, so their arms brushed.

Nico’s vision blurred, like his vision went from perfect to Jason Grace’s, who was coincidentally who he was seeing. His face was blurred, but Nico could make out a dark room and Jason’s blonde hair and purple shirt. He began to speak, but it sounded muffled and warped. “Nico, you can do this. It might be embarrassing, but it's for the scepter.”

The scene changed. Now it was underwater, judging from the grainy sea floor. Jason was in a bubble, assumedly made by Percy next to him. They faced a woman who must’ve been twenty feet tall. “Will they cower?” she asked Jason, expression threatening.

“Tons of cowering! Plus your name in the summer program. A custom-designed banner. A cabin at Camp Half-Blood. Two shrines.”

Lastly, it was Jason’s spirit leaning against a poplar tree in Nico’s father’s domain. “I love you, dude. And Piper, and the others. Tell your boyfriend’s dad I don’t blame him.”

“I’m sorry this happened-”

Spirit Jason, who was looking pretty deceased from the hole in his chest, raised a blurry hand to cut him off.

“It was my duty. For Piper, for everyone. I don’t regret it.”

The way Jason had spoken that day made Nico forget Jason had chosen Camp Half-Blood. He had been forging his own path, yet deep down his years at Camp Jupiter would never fade. He was a Roman. Dutiful until his last breath. 

Nico nodded. Duty didn’t seem to come easily to Greeks. The wars the Romans fought, against Krios and Gaea were out of duty; _respect_ for the Olympians (who never visited them, ironically. Nico had family dinners with Hades, Persephone and Demeter. Percy slept at his father’s palace sometimes, and Amphitrite even did his laundry. Jason barely ever met his dad.) The Greeks fought for their home and each other, and their parent if they’d happened to show affection.

“What’s next for you?” Nico asked, although he knew what someone like Jason Grace would choose immediately. 

“Rebirth,” Jason said automatically. “Maybe one day, I’ll see the crew on that island. But I’m ready to get back out there.”

They chatted for another hour, and the last he saw was Jason’s head duck under the Lethe’s swift currents.

Nico blinked, coming back to reality. “Sorry,” Adrien said, for bumping into him he assumed. 

“All good. Want me to make some popcorn, guys?”

Adrien was incredibly polite, the kid looked inclined to call him Mr. di Angelo out of respect for adults. Sally was going to love this one (after he bullied him into staying for dinner, which Will and Nico frequently had with the Blofis family). 

She seemed to smother shy kids with her perfect maternalness. Nico had been one of her early victims, as had Jason.

The kid was Jason basically, except brown-haired, less sure of himself, and Italian.

He wanted to be in the military, already sure at the age of thirteen. His hair was neat, like Jason’s was when he wasn’t facing certain death. 

When he excused himself to use the bathroom, Nico whispered to Estelle, “Boyfriend?”

“N- no!” she spluttered, face heating up.

Normally, Nico might be defensive. But he could already tell Jason Grace’s (literal) reincarnate could do no wrong to ~~his sister~~ Estelle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk how im gonna make adrien find out hes a demigod yet😳😳suggestions welcome and needed


	12. aunt estelle pt. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> babysitting goes wrong, and estelle has her first monster encounter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jeez I really can't stop putting nico in this can I lmao.

Babysitting.

Most teenagers would find it a hassle, taking care of annoying kids on school nights for a couple bucks an hour while the parents go out, have a crazy night, and pretend they didn’t.

Estelle loves it. Even though she’s paid, she always slips the money back into Percy’s wallet. She could do Annabeth’s, but that woman was way too observant. Percy probably just figures some god put it there or something, like  _ Hey! Thanks again for saving the world! Here’s a twenty! _

Attie’s a couple months old now, but a pretty easy kid. She cries when Estelle doesn’t hold her, and snuggles up into her arms when she does. Estelle was quite the opposite as a baby. She would barely let any not family members hold her.

She’s a cute baby, as expected when the parents are two very good looking demigods. Some people don’t want to hear it, but ugly babies certainly exist, like big, fleshy toe creatures.

Attie’s raven black hair is growing pretty quickly. She has big, gray eyes like Annabeth. Percy insists on most of her little baby clothes having some kind of fish theme. Today, it was a little blue t-shirt with a beluga whale. Estelle wondered if on trips to the aquarium she could understand the fish.

She never babysat for too long. Most days, it was after school, and Nico or someone would be there to keep company and take the middle of the day. Percy would be off of work in a little while, followed by Annabeth. Her mom often checked up on her while babysitting, and helped with homework when she could.

Of course things had to go wrong with such a simple task.

She was just sitting on the living room couch, on her own for now, cradling Attie during an episode of  _ H2O: Just Add Water,  _ when the door flung open.

Estelle was used to doors doing that. Percy was not very quiet when entering rooms. Plus, the Jackson residence was prone to visitors.

“You’re here early-” she began to say until she realized the  _ thing _ was not her brother.

The woman standing there was pretty enough, although with translucent skin that was not working well with her blood red lipstick. Her hair was black and slicked back into a sleek ponytail. Her teeth were bared and fanged. And her legs- was that a donkey leg? And why just one? The other looked like some kind of prosthetic and all metal.

Estelle paled, leaning back into the couch with little Attie held closer.

“Don-donkey cyborg!” Estelle stuttered out.

The woman scoffed. “How dare you call me that  _ farm _ creature! I’m an empou-”

Just as she was seemingly going to start an evil unnecessary monologue, Attie screeched, which probably was not helping Estelle’s situation. It was shrill and an unusual sound for a little baby, more like a distressed animal. Estelle’s glass of water on the table next to the door shook, and forcibly shattered at Donkey Woman’s feet, shards of glass penetrating her hairy (Emphasis on the hair, not the  _ I didn’t shave my legs for a week  _ hairy. Animal hair) leg.

_ “This _ is what the product of the most powerful demigods can do? A little cup trick?” she growled, although there was pain woven in her voice. 

As she began to advance, something swung around her neck like a garrote. Whatever it was began to cut into her skin, blood flowing freely.

Her head snapped back as Will came into view. A stethoscope, of course. Now was probably not the time to ask who carries one of those around. Nico came from behind them, stabbing her through the front.

“C’mon now,” Donkey Woman gasped out, trying to smirk seductively, as if that would save her. “How about a kiss?”

“I prefer blondes,” Nico growled, pulling his black sword out as the woman became dust.

“Empousai,  _ so _ heteronormative,” Will said casually as he made his way to the kitchen sink to wash his sthethoscope. 

“Big word,” Nico commented.

“Anyways, we came early to make dinner, but I think I lost my appetite.”

Estelle sat in place, still squeezing Attie close, trying to process what she’d just seen. Years of hearing stories about killing the biggest, baddest, oldest creatures, and this little vampire, animal thing had just scared her shitless.

Nico seemed to notice, and came to her side. “You okay, Stell?” he asked worriedly.

She didn’t mean to, but she completely broke down. Will scooped Attie out of her arms so she could cling on to Nico, sobbing in his shoulder.

He pulled her in, even though her mascara was staining his nice white button down shirt.

“I just felt so helpless,” she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder.

Will patted her back, Atalanta in his arms. “We’ve all felt that way. In the first war, all I did was heal… and it didn’t always work.”

“When your brother first found me, my sister… Bianca and I watched Annabeth fall off a cliff, taken by some scary thing. We all have moments that are beyond our power,” Nico added.

“That’s the thing,” she said miserably. “I’m powerless, _literally._ I can’t even protect a baby, she protected me.” She pointed to the broken glass of water.

“Tell you what, come to Camp this weekend and Clarisse can help you practice on the dummies,” Will offered.

“Sally’s not gonna like that,” Nico warned.

“It’ll make her feel better if this ever-” he tried to say, but was interrupted by the door swinging open. 

Percy smiled at them all, in his ironed button down shirt and khakis, all teacher-like, when he looked down at the broken glass. “What the  _ Hades _ , guys, that was one of our nice cups!”

  
  



	13. family tree mishaps pt. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> adrien's world is rocked, pretty much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't tell if this is cringy but... the big reveal :D  
> see notes at end before u think this is super weird and awk

It’s odd, to be best friends with someone for so long and never be to their house.

Estelle and Adrien spend most of their time hanging out at her apartment, or her brother’s when they hang out while she watches Estelle. It wasn’t that she minded, or her family minded. Adrien was always welcome. Her parents loved him, and always tried to make him feel comfortable. He was a rigid kid, and still couldn’t call her mom “Sally” for his life. Her mother would always mention to Percy how much Adrien reminded her of some guy named Jason Grace, and Percy would agree with a sad look in his eyes. She’d heard a few stories about him, mostly from Piper.

She wouldn’t pry about it. It was the same with Percy’s friends, they had always been over, and Percy never went to their houses. But then again, most had a deceased parent and were kind of homeless besides Camp.

So there was that.

But she’d met Adrien’s father, and he was pretty cool. She’d also given him rides home, courtesy of Percy, Annabeth or Nico (obviously, at 13 she was not the driver).

Which left Estelle confused as what he had to hide. Surely, he wasn’t embarrassed of his apartment, as Goode wasn’t exactly cheap. 

It was one faithful day when they had a huge math test the next day and needed to study. The library was always an option they’d never chosen, as it didn’t come with her mom’s homemade blue chocolate chip cookies. 

However, Estelle’s apartment was reserved for the day. The Hunt was in town, and Sally insisted the girls (more like a bunch of 200 year olds, one Olympian and a sprinkle of 30 year olds) have their meeting in the Blofis residence, which would be where the blue cookies were going instead of their obviously more important study sesh. 

Estelle was 95% sure that bringing her boy (note the word separation) friend to a mythological mostly anti-male meeting was not a good idea. 

They waited for her dad to give them a ride home on a bench outside, brisk winds cooling them off from the overly hot Spring weather. Adrien fidgeted, like he always did.

He always waited for her to say they were going to her house, as he probably found asking rude. Adrien was big on manners.

“So…” Estelle said, unsure of how the following conversation would go. “We kinda can’t go to my place today. Percy’s cousin Thalia reserved all rooms for her school club meeting.  _ Big _ club.” Estelle was getting pretty good at turning odd mythological situations into casual conversation pieces. She only hoped it was impossible to tell that Thalia had been 15 years old since 2007.

Adrien seemed to squirm more than his ususal hyperactive self. “I guess… we can go over to mine,” he said, as if the thought pained him. She could see his face contort, like he was trying to remain unfazed and casual, but it seemed like he was having a hard time. 

“Adrien, we don’t  _ have _ to-”

“No, it’s okay Stell. I feel like, rude, that you’ve never come over but I’m always at your place.”

“You don’t have to explain,” she tried to say as her father’s Prius rolled up. 

“Ready, guys?” he asked. Estelle got in the passenger seat as Adrien climbed.

“Where are we heading?” her father asked as they slowly inched forward in the Manhattan traffic.

“Well, Reyna and Thalia have their club meeting today,” Estelle began.

Her dad seemed to snort at this. Calling the ancient and deadly Hunters of Artemis seemed like a comical understatement.

“So we’re going to Adrien’s to study for Mrs. Hammonds quarterly test.”

Paul raised an eyebrow, as this was certainly a new concept. “Hm, her exams are quite difficult, I’ve heard. But I’m sure you two are capable.”

The rest of the ride was fairly quiet. Her dad turned on Z-100 on the radio, as another overplayed pop song played, that had probably been played just 20 minutes prior.

It wasn’t long, and her dad told her someone would pick her up later. Having a bunch of adults in your life nearby meant chauffeur roulette, you never knew who it’d be.

Estelle wasn’t sure what to expect as they went up the elevator to his apartment. Adrien avoided having her over like it was the plague. She doubted it was messy or something. Both him and his father were neat people, in every way.

“Welcome to my MTV crib,” he joked as he unlocked the door. 

It was a beachy, interior designers dream, and was quite similar to Percy and Annabeth’s place before it became cluttered with baby toys and playpens. 

The couches were tan and plushy, and the walls a faded, cool blue. There were a lot of ocean-like decor, as well as Coast Guard posters. It was well kept and proper. 

She didn’t understand what Adrien could've been hiding until she saw the pictures. 

The bigger, framed ones were of Adrien and his dad, a young looking, handsome blonde man. There were also many of just Adrien, a little kid on vacations or recent school pictures.

But the small ones were either from disposable cameras or polaroids, and they have either just a woman, or her with Adrien’s father. None of them together.

Estelle picked one up without thinking. They weren’t the best quality, but the woman was clearly beautiful. Her hair was dark brown, always braided in some flowy fashion. Her skin was very pale, yet glowed luminously. Her eyes were Adrien’s startling blue, and she had his delicate features.

“Is this your mom?” Estelle asked, still in deep thought, studying the photos.

Adrien’s face turned sour, and she almost regretted asking. It was an expression she wasn’t used to seeing. Adrien hardly got mad at anything, ever. He was always patient for her dumb questions, which normally weren’t so personal and blunt.

“Unfortunately,” he grumbled, sitting on the couch.

Estelle remained quiet, putting down the picture. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t pry-”

Adrien sighed, expression softening. “I’m sorry, that was cold of me. I just never mention her because she’s barely a mother. My parents ‘love story’ if you can even call it that is embarrassing. But you’re the best friend I ever had, and I wanna tell you.”

She sat, and instinctively placed her hand supportively on his, although trying to hide her blush. 

“Basically, my dad met her at some beach, doing his whole Coast Guard thing, and they ‘fell in love’ or something. But she didn’t want a kid. So she just left me with him, but kept going out with him, dates and stuff. I felt so weird, growing up with a parent that was around, just not at all for me. I don’t get what Dad sees in her. She’s so loud and cold and everything he’s not,” he said looking down. “And it wasn’t till a few years ago I heard them talking when I wasn’t supposed to listen, but she’s…  _ married. _ What does that make me?”

It made sense why that would make Adrien so uncomfortable. He was big on things being the way they should be, and honor and honesty and such. To have his mindset and be the product of a married woman with some other guy… was against everything he believed in.

“You aren’t your parents,” Estelle assured him. “If it makes you feel better, Percy’s dad had a wife when he was… y’know…  _ made, _ I guess,” she said, trying to say it in the least gross terms possible.

He perked up at this. “Really? Wow, I thought it was like a weirdly rare thing.” If only Estelle could tell him how many cases she’d heard. Nico, Thalia, Piper, Leo, the list went on. 

Of course, most of those marriages must have been pretty boring after being mostly arranged and thousands of years old.

“I just mostly didn’t want you over because she likes to drop by, but just for my dad. She says  _ hi _ to me like I’m a stepson she wants to ignore the existence of. Not that I want anything to do with her, it’s just embarrassing. And… I thought it would weird you out, but I guess not.”

“Oh please Tedesco, you know you can’t outweird me,” she said, feeling the mood lighten.

“Hm… yeah, you’re right.”

_ “Hey!” _

With that, they began to study while alternating playlists and chatting. Estelle wasn’t all that great at math, but Adrien was a wizard at it. With his help, she could get through most of the hardest geometric proof.

After about thirty minutes, Adrien’s phone buzzed excitedly, the text tone he had for his dad. 

“Shit!” he exclaimed, which made her head fly up. Adrien almost  _ never _ cursed (which contrasted heavily with her vocabulary). 

“What’s wrong?” Estelle asked, putting her pencil down.

“Jeez, of course today. My  _ parents _ are coming home, probably from some stupid date.” He said the word  _ parents _ like it was a curse.

Estelle knew Adrien’s dad, but she felt bad he’d only just told her of his mom’s existence that day and now she was meeting the woman. 

“Percy’s coming soon, I can go if you want-”

“No, it’s fine, no rush,” he interrupted. “Let’s just find the area to number eighteen.”

It was a few minutes later when the door opened. In walked Adrien’s parents, looking like they belonged on the cover of a magazine. They were laughing, although the woman’s was much louder. “Hey, A,” his father greeted. “Oh, I didn’t know Estelle would be here! How are you, sweetie?” he asked with his perfectly white smile.

“Good,” she replied, trying to look her normal, happy self although she could see Adrien focusing on his paper beside her. 

“Estelle, this is Adrien’s mother,” he introduced, although waiting for her to seemingly introduce her own name.

The woman smiled superficially in her direction. 

Estelle studied her face. Somehow she looked just as young there as she had in obviously old pictures around the house.

Then, Estelle had one of her signature moments. One of the moments where she for some reason just blurted out her thoughts “I’ve seen you before.”

Adrien’s head whipped up, and Mr. Tedesco raised an eyebrow, as if this woman was someone Estelle, or anybody, would have never seen before, by coincidence.

“Is that so?” she mused, as if Estelle’s confusion amused her.

“Yes, I  _ know _ I have-” she began to say, when she noticed her phone buzzing like crazy. “-Oh, shoot, Percy’s calling,” she said, gathering her things. He probably had the baby in the car or something.

The woman’s face changed from smugness to her own confusion. “Percy… you were the flower girl at the wedding,” she said after a long pause.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Adrien said, getting up abruptly. “You  _ know _ my mom? What  _ wedding? _ ” he grabbed at his head like it hurt from the new, vague information.

“Kym... “ Mr. Tedesco said, almost warningly. His voice lowered. “Is Estelle here, a, you know-”

Estelle paled.  _ “Kym- _ So that means-”

The goddess, as Estelle now realized, grinned as if the whole thing was just  _ hilarious. _ “What a small world, isn’t it?”

Just at that moment, the doorbell rang. Mr. Tedesco turned away from the situation to get the door. Standing there was her, well  _ their, _ brother. 

“Hey Marco, Adrien,” he greeted, waving at them. “Didn’t mean to rush you, Stella, you just stopped answering your phone and _ Holy Hades is that-” _

Adrien’s mother turned to him. “Hello, brother.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so like it might seem uncomfy w Adrien and estelle liking each other bc technically (puking before I say this) estelle's his like?? step aunt or something I have no idea its fine
> 
> but basically everyone is related, and sometimes even weirdly like Thalia said Apollo is hot cmon thats straight up weird rick
> 
> but they're not related in anyway, and ya Kym is Percy's sister but 1) he's related to everything in the sea, and 2) maybe if his dad was triton or something it would be slightly weirder bc percy is implied to be at his dads palace a lot but he literally met Kym once, basically unconscious, and she tried to kill him, and she's also outcast from the family
> 
> so I think its fine 
> 
> also even tho no character but nico will ever know I feel like it really ties into the Jason reincarnation thing, bc he has Jason's soul but Jason's life ended in this phase of him building cabins for minor gods starting with Kym, so his reincarnate being like a kid who will actually use the cabin Jason's work started w???? idk I vibe w it I hope anyone reading gets it


	14. revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> adrien gets told the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyyy guys. my school was closed today bc of corona so I got a chance to write :') so convenient, meanwhile we have 100 cases in my little area alone and we won't actually close for a while!!! love the school system, health does not matter! anyways here's Adrien getting his deserved explanation, dw him and estelle r NOT related I needed to make this clear to the poor boy. any suggestions about future chapters needed idek what is gonna happen next

_ Adrien’s mother turned to Percy. “Hello, brother.” _

“Okay, let’s  _ not _ do that,” Percy said, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. “Kym, you’re confusing the kid, this isn’t a _ joke.” _

“I would also like an explanation, about the brother thing” Adrien’s father, Marco added in.

Adrien had fallen back in his seat, head in his hands. “What the actual hell is going on?” he demanded, eyes focused on his mother, who didn’t seem affected in the slightest. “You just waltz on in here and casually know everybody? Are you and Estelle related- Oh God that’s weird- not that-” he spluttered, avoiding Estelle’s eyes. “Can someone just please explain?!”

“Well,” Kym began. “It’s not that complex really… You should’ve realized from my name, child.”

“As if he would recognize the name of a D-List goddess,” Estelle snorted, glaring at the woman.

Kymopoleia growled. “Little mortal girl, thinking you can insult me?”

Percy glared at her. “Kym, chill on my sister. Don’t make me regret inviting you to my wedding even though you tried to give me as a slave to Polybotes that time-”

“One time!” Kym countered.

“Okay, I hate cursing… but what the  _ fuck _ is going on?” Adrien yelled. Estelle had to laugh, breaking the tension that had built up.

“Adrien said  _ fuck,” _ she chortled, unable to hold in her laughter. 

“Okay, let’s all sit down!” Percy commanded in his leader tone, which he hadn’t used in years. Everyone complied in the living room.

“Alright Adrien, do you know about the Greek gods?” Percy began, hoping everyone would stay calm.

“Yeah, like Poseidon and Athena? But what’s that gotta do with-”

Percy interrupted. “Good choices on the names, anyways, they’re real.” He glanced at Kymopoleia in his peripherals. “Unfortunately.”

She grumbled in defiance.

“Good one, so what’s actually going on?” he rolled his eyes. Estelle studied his mannerisms. He was thoroughly confused, but not going to settle on the absurd truth. His absolute uncertainty was making him less the rigid, polite  _ Adrien _ and more full of anger and voicing his distress. It was so not  _ him _ , she wished she could just snap her fingers and make him believe, easy and simple.

“Adrien, he’s telling the truth. Is it so hard to believe? People have different religions, what makes you think this one went away?” Estelle added, trying to help. She wondered how many people Percy had to tell the truth and convince. “Percy, just explode the sink or something.”

“Stella, that’s not a great idea,” Percy said, hiding a grin.

“I’d prefer that not happen,” Mr. Tedesco added.

“But… it’s religion. People just believe for something to believe in,” Adrien said, keeping eye contact with Percy and ignoring the side chatter.

“People have had encounters, and written about them for years. Now, those encounters are just kept quieter, most of the world’s moved on, but we’re still all here,” Percy said.

“You said  _ we.” _ Adrien’s eyes narrowed. “Like you and I are involved.”

“What did the gods love to do in the old days, with mortals? Actually, don’t answer that, I’ll do it in an appropriate way. They had kids.”

“So you’re trying to tell me mom’s a goddess?  _ Kym? _ Never heard of her in the books.”

“Yeah, well, me neither,” Percy admitted.

Kym seethed. “No need to pick on me so much, little brother-”

“-Okay, you need to cut the shit with the  _ brother _ stuff. We have the same dad, that’s it!” Percy said, exasperated.

“So who’s your dad? If this is all real, anyways” Adrien interjected.

“Poseidon, god of the seas. Your mom here is a minor goddess-”

_ “Hey!” _

“Kymopoleia, goddess of sea storms. Daughter of Poseidon and his wife, Amphritrite.”

“I mean, I’m not a fan of mom, but that’s pretty cool. Can I like, make storms?”

“Why don’t you go outside and try, child?” Kym rolled her eyes.

Adrien glared at her. “Guess not. So your dad’s Poseidon. Do you have powers?”

“He can do pretty much everything,” Estelle said. “Breathe underwater, control it, make earthquakes, talk to horses.”

“Oh, how father loves his little prodigies so much, you and Triton.” Kym commented, obviously annoyed.

Percy flicked a hand at the cup of water Estelle held, and the liquid rose, spiraling around his hands.

“Whoa,” Adrien gasped. “So, this is all real. I’m not in some weird, complex dream?”

“All real,” Percy assured, making the water return.

“Do I get a tattoo like that?” Adrien asked.

“Oh this?” Percy held out the triton on his forearm. “If you serve in the legion, but you’re Greek. So am I, got it in a little mix up,” he offered vaguely. Adrien’s father seemed like he wanted to know more about the legion, but held his tongue to allow Adrien his questions.

“So you’re like, my uncle?”

“Alright, here’s the hard part. It sounds disturbing, and Kym loves to make it sound weird, but we’re all related, yet not. Don’t get grossed out, but my wife is a daughter of Athena.”

“So you and her mom are cousins?” Adrien paled. He’d seen Estelle niece, and she didn’t look like the product of… a disgustingly close gene pool.

“In the stories, everyone’s related and married. Hera and Zeus? Siblings. Persephone? Hades’ niece. Years back, we had to kill evil Grandpa Kronos. A year later, great grandma Gaea. I’m related to Pegasus, a horse. Godly DNA isn’t normal DNA, and our family isn’t just any family. The original, eternally messed up family. So family ties really don’t matter. Sure, your mom’s my sister, but so is everything in the sea. None of it matters, and we tend not to think about it.”

Adrien seemed to need a minute to process this. “Wow. So, what’s Estelle?”

Estelle groaned. “One hundred percent boring human,” she answered. “No godly connections for me.”

Percy patted her on the back. “Hey, you got lucky. Being a demigod is dangerous.”

“Demigod,” Adrien echoed. “Whoa.”

“Halfblood, demigod, hero, all those words. Anyways, your bloodline’s not really strong to monsters, no offense, so few will come. But those few can still kill you. It seems like your uncooperative mother didn’t plan on honoring the ‘claimed by thirteen’ promise so-”

“Oh please,  _ Perseus,” _ Kym butt in. “You think your silly, righteous promise applies to all the minor, as you say, gods? That we all bend to your will, all because you declined to be a god?”

“You  _ declined _ to be a  _ god?” _ Adrien asked in amazement. “Like in the Hercules movie?”

“Oh gods, don’t get me started on that asshole-” Percy began.

“So we can bring him to Camp this weekend?” Estelle asked, before Percy really did get started on Hercules. It was like how some family members can’t stop talking about politics at dinner, Percy on holidays couldn’t stop talking about how much he  _ hated _ Hercules. He should’ve written a book:  _ Why Hercules is a Dickwad, by Perseus Jackson. _

“Yeah, I’m due for a trip this month. Pack a duffle, Adrien.”

  
  



	15. what makes a home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> adrien and estelle go to camp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok just a psa I never proof read anything I've ever written before posting idk I feel iffy about this chapter  
> also this isn't the last of Adrien!!! im really feeling for this little dude I made him kinda angsty oops as well as estelle as always

Estelle followed Adrien to his room to let the adults (even though Percy was almost 30, she had a hard time associating him with the word) converse. Any sane parent would probably want to talk with the guy they’re entrusting their child with for a weekend. Especially somewhere like Camp Half-Blood, where activities consist of climbing lava walls and sword fighting.

Kym probably stayed for attention, which she seemed to love. Estelle was trying her best to forget how much worse her family tree became, with Percy being Adrien’s uncle. Not that that was really how the most ancient, incestous family ever worked, but on paper it was looking pretty bad.

“You ever been there?” Adrien asked as he packed some shirts.

Estelle nodded. “Yeah, only once. Percy’s wedding.” Honestly, she was pretty jealous. Mortals weren’t supposed to be there, no matter how welcome she was. Whenever dinner conversations consisted of Percy and his friends laughing about going up and visiting and all the funny things that happened amongst the new generation of half-bloods, she felt left out. Most of the kids were her age. They spent the school year training, as well as minimally learning. Then, they could apply to New Rome University, what with the whole peace treaty between Romans and Greeks. Nowadays, life looked rather good for demigods.

Which Estelle was not. 

“You probably don’t need too many shirts, you’ll get Camp ones,” she advised, imagining how Adrien would look in a few days. He’d have picked an Celestial Bronze weapon, probably a sword, knowing him, and be wearing an orange CHB shirt. The whole look suited him.

He nodded, putting some back. “What’s it like?” he asked excitedly.

“The best place ever. In Percy’s day, there were like 100 kids for the first war. Now there’s hundreds.”

“War?” Adrien frowned. 

“Oh yeah, against Kronos. Percy led it. Then one against Gaea,” Estelle said casually.

Adrien still looked confused. “Damn, Stella. You’re brother’s a badass. I want to hear this war story, if that’s okay, once I brush up on names.”

Right after school Friday, Percy picked them up from school. Adrien and Estelle were waiting excitedly outside the front of their school.

“Stay safe,” Estelle’s father said, giving her a tight hug. Her cheeks reddened, as there were a lot of other students around and she was feeling kind of embarrassed. “I don’t like that lava wall.”

“Lava wall?” Adrien exclaimed excitedly.

“Don’t worry dad,” Estelle promised. “Plus, I’m 100% human, weapons will pass right through me.”

Paul nodded. “Reassuring.” He waved to Percy as the two climbed in. Estelle got in the passenger side, and Adrien sat in the back.

Estelle turned around in the seat, facing her little niece who was in a baby seat. “Hey, Attie!” The little girl giggled.

“Alright,” Percy said as he merged into traffic. “Adrien, we’re still stopping by your place to get your bag, right?”

Adrien nodded. By the time they got there, his father was outside holding the duffle. By his side was Kym. Estelle could see Adrien frown in the rearview window. 

“Hey bud,” Adrien’s father said through the window. “Have a good time okay? I packed extra pajamas.” Adrien’s face heated up, but Estelle just smiled. As much as Adrien hated his mother, he rarely let his resentment for his father keeping her around show. “Thanks for this, Percy. It was about time he knew.”

Percy nodded. “He can call you tonight, we have monster proof phones.”

“Before you leave, know that your cabin’s not empty,” Kym said to Adrien.

He furrowed a brow, unsure of what his mother meant, although Percy and Estelle did as they looked between each other. “What?” Adrien asked. His father looked confused as well.

“Uh, cabin’s are based off your parent,” Estelle began, trying to say it softly.

Adrien understood quickly. “So you have other kids?” He asked angrily. His father didn’t look too happy about this.

Kym remained calm. “Just one, from before I met your father. Perhaps you two will get along.”

“Bye, dad,” he snapped as he put the window up. Percy waved to the two and drove off awkwardly.

The ride was mostly Percy playing music, and talking to Annabeth on the car’s bluetooth phone system. Adrien seemed to be processing everything all over again. Ever since he found everything out, he seemed different. He’d shown up late for the math test they were both so eager to do well on, and he let his anger show about his mom. As if it didn’t suck enough having a mom who didn’t give a shit before, now it was a goddess mom, who had no responsibilities and could do anything, but still couldn’t bother to care about him. 

Estelle played with Attie on the ride, until she fell asleep. It was Percy’s first time taking her to Camp. From how it sounded, Percy would probably spend his time with the adults like Chiron, Mr. D, and whoever else wasn’t out in the world or living in New Rome, while Estelle and Adrien explored.

Finally, they made it to Half-Blood Hill, on the north shore on Long Island. Percy parked his blue Subaru on the grassy hill and stepped out with his bag, Attie, and her baby things. Adrien grabbed his bag, and Estelle her own duffle. They trudged up the hill, Adrien looking around excitedly, his demeanor changing so much from the car. 

“Is that a dragon?” Adrien basically screamed, making Percy chuckle. “Yup, Peleus, if you wanna go say hi.”

“It won’t bite me?” Adrien asked.

“Nah, he’s domesticated.”

Adrien waved for Estelle to follow and took off. She’d never seen the guy run so fast, and that was saying something as he was always the kid who was first in PE during the mile run. She followed, laughing as the wind blew her hair back.

Peleus nuzzled up to his hand as if he was a golden retriever, not a golden, snake headed dragon.

“The Golden Fleece,” he marveled, looking at the sheepskin glistening on the tree. 

Percy had caught up to them by now. “Yup, we found it on a quest my second year.”

“Quest,” Adrien echoed. “Will I get to go on one?”

Percy shrugged. “In my day, we went on quests to save Camp, or to stop someone trying to kill us. The Golden Fleece saved Camp from being invaded. Now, there aren't many. But it’s for the better. There’s still a lot to do inside Camp.”

With that, they crossed the boundary. Estelle didn’t need to be granted permission, as she had been given before. Adrien’s blue eyes were bulging out of his face. “This place is _insane!”_ he said immediately. 

“Oh, we never can get rid of you, _Peter,”_ a man with a chubby face and curly black hair said, sauntering over to them.

“Mr. D, good to see you too. This is my little sister, Estelle, as I’m sure you don’t remember. And a new camper, Adrien. And my daughter, Atalanta,” Percy responded, cradling Attie.

Mr. D, who she was pretty sure was Dionysus, peered down at the baby. “I’m sure you and Annie’s little one will be destroying this camp soon enough. Hopefully I’ll be gone by then. I assume you will be joining Chiron and I for a game of Pinochle before dinner?”

“Of course,” Percy said, hefting his duffle bag onto his shoulder. “I’ll see you guys at dinner, I’m going to the Big House. Kym’s cabin should be 32.” 

Mr. D and Percy went off towards a large blue house, leaving Estelle and Adrien alone. “Who was that?” he asked.

“Mr. D, the camp director. Or Dionysus.”

“The wine dude? Now I’ve met two gods!” he exclaimed.

Estelle laughed. “I’m sure you’ll meet a lot more. C’mon, I’m sleeping at Percy’s cabin tonight, so let’s go put my stuff down, then find your cabin.”

Everything they passed made Adrien’s head turn. He kept asking what everything was, but sometimes even Estelle didn’t have the answer, which just reminded her she didn’t belong there.

Finally, they found Cabin 32, which couldn’t be farther from Cabin 3. It was low, like the Poseidon cabin, but was made of ragged rocks, like Kym’s personality. The door was wooden and dark. Inscribed in it was the initials _J.G._

“What’s that mean?” Adrien asked. 

“The initials of the guy who designed this. He made a couple cabins before he died. Jason Grace, son of Jupiter.”

Adrien stared at the letters for a few more seconds before opening the door. 

The inside was dark blue and ocean themed. A few beds had their own little spaces, although none looked used except one. 

A girl came out from behind a wall separating the bunks. She was maybe 16, and her skin was dark as teakwood with warm brown eyes. Her hair was put into two space buns, with strands highlighted a bright teal. She had a crazy grin when she saw the two. 

“No way, _two_ siblings?” she exclaimed, jumping up.

“No, just one,” Adrien said, a grin on his face matching hers. “I’m Adrien, your brother” he introduced, putting a hand out to shake. She ignored it, hugging him tightly instead. 

“Mother said you’d be coming any day now. I’m Marlowe, but you can call me Mar,” she said, releasing him from her grip. “I’ve never seen you around,” she said turning to Estelle with her big smile that revealed a piercing above her two front teeth, a smiley, Estelle thought they were called.

“I’m Estelle. Mortal,” she said embarrassedly. “My brother Percy’s visiting.”

“No way, Percy Jackson? That guy’s a legend!” Marlowe bounced excitedly, making all other ADHD kids look almost calm. “Let me show you guys around! I’ve been here for about a year, so I’m considered kind of new, but I know my way around.”

Marlowe took over as tour guide. She helped Adrien with a weapon. She used a trident, which was similar to using a spear, but Adrien insisted on a sword. 

They sat around the canoe lake, which Marlowe told them was her favorite place at Camp. She chatted with the naiads most of the time, who shared a hatred of her mother, Kymopoleia, for her destructive nature.

Adrien and her bonded over Kym’s lack of maternal instincts. Marlowe explained how Kym had spent time with her father, dropped her off, and left them, minus occasional visits. Adrien related.

By dinner, he changed into a Camp t-shirt. His sister and him sat at the Kymopoleia table while Estelle sat with Percy at the Poseidon table. Juniper, the dryad, was watching Attie as they ate.

“How’s Adrien settling in?” Percy asked as he cut into his food.

“Good, really good,” Estelle admitted. She could see his table across the dining pavilion. He was chatting excitedly with Marlowe.

“It’s good he has a sister, I didn’t have Tyson for a year. Or you, for several.”

Capture the Flag was starting soon. Chiron announced that Percy would be their honorary referee, and the campers cheered, chanted his name. 

Estelle could only watch, as the game wasn’t meant for mortals. Adrien wore armor a couple sizes too big. Kymopoleia was on the blue team, led by Athena. There were snickers from other cabins on the blue team that Percy would definitely let them win, considering the Athena cabin’s big sister was his wife.

“Wish me luck out there,” he said as he approached Estelle, adjusting his armor. 

She giggled at his oversized breastplate. “Kick some Ares ass out there,” she encouraged, patting his back.

He winked with a new confidence that made her blush. 

“C’mon, A!” Marlowe called as she positioned herself on the right flank. Adrien ran as best as he could in the big armor towards her.

“I saw that,” a familiar voice said behind her.

Turning around she came face to face with Piper Mclean. Her hair was dark and cut into a neat bob, unlike the choppy style it was as a teenager. She wore a long, flowy blouse and dark jeans. Estelle gave her a big hug, having not seen her in months. “Hey, Pipes,” Percy greeted, giving her a hug as well.

“So, that’s the kid you told me about?” Piper asked, grinning. Percy started to lean closer to join the conversation, but Piper shook her head. “Jackson, we’re having _girl_ talk. Don’t you have a game to ref?”

“Yeah,” Estelle admitted, cheeks red.

“He is a cutie. And he definitely likes you,” she teased.

“Oh gods, let’s not talk about that. Anyways, what are you doing here?”

“Heard Percy was coming up with the baby, so I came for the week. Also, we’re almost done with Jason’s last sketch…”

Estelle nodded. All of the sketches Jason had gotten to make before his death were finally done. Piper and Apollo, apparently, had been the ones directing their construction. 

Athena had won the game. Adrien had gotten himself thrown into the stream, where he learned he could breathe underwater. “I could just take breaths! And breathe! I’m not really a good swimmer, and the armor doesn’t help, so I would’ve drowned! But I can’t!” he was saying excitedly. He was sopping wet, so apparently Kym’s powers didn’t extend past that, but it still had him bouncing off the walls. 

Percy joined them after getting off the phone with Annabeth. “Change of plans, guys,” he said, cradling Attie in his arms. “Pipsqueak here has a doctor’s appointment tomorrow afternoon, so I figured we could leave before breakfast and grab something on the road.”

They both nodded, although Adrien looked disappointed. “Sounds good,” Estelle said.

“Alright, I’m going to knock in my cabin. Attie seems tired. Estelle, come in whenever you’re ready for bed. Curfew’s in a while. Night Adrien.”

“Night,” Adrien replied. 

They ended up meeting up with Marlowe and her friends, mostly Hermes kids. They all talked excitedly about the game and all the crazy moments. Estelle knew Adrien didn’t mean to leave her out, he was just having the time of his life.

The group migrated to the beach, where they laid in the sand looking at the stars. Adrien taught her all the constellations he knew as they laid next to each other. 

“Thanks,” he said out of nowhere.

She almost turned her head to look at him in confusion, but that would mean being nose to nose, which might be awkward.

“For what?”

“For this. Without you, I wouldn’t be here right now. My mom doesn’t care about me, or who I am. She never planned on telling me about this place. If you weren’t there, I’d never know.”

“Adrien-”

“And for being my friend, Stella. I’ve never been good with people. I never know how to act cool, or anything like that. If we didn’t meet at orientation, I probably wouldn’t have a single friend. All the _kinda_ friends I have are from you, because _everyone_ likes you. And I know you’re about to say that’s not true, but it is. There’s nothing for me in Goode, or at my apartment. I never see Dad anyway, and he spends more time with my mom anyways. You’re the only thing that’s home there-”

“Curfew!” someone yelled in the distance

“Shit!” Marlowe whispered. “The harpies are coming, we need to get back _now.”_

Everyone scurried up. Adrien grabbed her hand and pulled her off the beach, kicking up sand behind them. She didn’t know why, but neither stopped holding hands as they ran. Although she knew that being out past curfew meant the harpies eating you, they both giggled as they ran. The word _home_ echoed in her mind as she got to Percy’s cabin and the rest of the campers continued to the otherside of Camp for their own cabins.

The next morning, Estelle grabbed her things. Percy had already grabbed all of Attie’s baby stuff. Adrien was waiting for them outside in his pajamas, hair unbrushed.

She knew what it meant that he didn’t have his things.

“You’re staying,” she stated plainly.

He nodded uncomfortably. “I was gonna tell you last night. Everything here feels right. I finally have a sibling, and don’t have to deal with Mom taking the only family I have. I’m not good at anything here yet, but I want to try. I can see myself here more than any college, or military program. I don’t know how long I want to stay… but I can’t go back yet.”

He seemed to take a breath after his explanation, like he’d been nervous to say it all. “I understand,” she shrugged. “But don’t go and forget about your boring _mortal_ friend while you're living it up here.”

“Oh _please._ I could never forget my _best_ friend, Estelle Blofis,” he grinned. 

Her heart pounded in her chest. “Promise me you’ll visit? Just learn to ride a pegasus. Percy’s stays here, I’m sure he would take you to see me.”

“You should visit too, you’re the sister of the celebrity of this place.”

They hugged. The last she saw as she descended the hill was Adrien groggily walking to the pegasus stables.

  
  



	16. mortality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> estelle gets an offer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk if this is any good quarantine is slowly killing my mind. also I just bingewatched the 100 part of me wants to make this fic brutal and not fluffy anymore im being brainwashed  
> someone pls give me a prompt

“C’mon already pipsqueak, don’t wanna miss lunch! Disarm me!” Thalia taunted, deflecting all of Estelle’s slashes. They’d been sparring for what felt like an hour, yet Thalia’s face was free of sweat, unlike Estelle’s own.

Every other weekend consisted of visiting Camp, to train and see Adrien (but mostly see Adrien). 

Estelle’s face and shirt were drenched in sweat, she had to use so much effort to keep up with Thalia who obviously wasn’t trying. The sword was awkward in Estelle’s hand. She normally kept a bronze knife with her because it was small and easier to use, but Thalia insisted she try swords. 

Thalia’s sword would’ve knicked her shoulder, but it passed through as if Estelle was a hologram. Celestial bronze and mortals don’t mix. “Well, I win. Maybe next time pipsqueak, let’s get lunch.”

“One more time,” Estelle found herself saying. Thalia raised an eyebrow, blue eyes curious. 

“If we miss lunch, your fault,” Thalia shrugged. “Come at me.” 

Estelle immediately surged forward, slashing everywhere she could. Thalia was caught off guard, surprised at the sudden energy. In an unorthodox manner, Estelle pushed the butt of her sword against Thalia’s, using all of her strength, so it clattered to the ground. 

“I win,” Estelle grinned cheekily. 

“Interesting,” Thalia said, patting her shoulder. Estelle felt kind of proud, despite the fact whatever she just did looked like an accidental hand spasm. 

“Thalia!” a girl called, must’ve been another hunter. Her hair was auburn and had thin braids weaved around. “Lunch is beginning, let’s go,” the girl urged. She couldn’t have been older than twelve, which always mystified Estelle to see when the hunters were around. 

“Gotta catch up,” Thalia grinned. “Good work kid, let’s talk later.”

“Bye Thals,” Estelle said, making her way to the Poseidon table.

“How was that?” Percy asked, after they’d gotten food and made offerings.

“Good,” Estelle responded, explaining how she disarmed Thalia at the end.

Percy congratulated her, even though she knew he didn’t love that she was learning to fight. Percy was her brother and all, but he was also her _big_ brother. Protective, sometimes overbearing. This was his world, his dangerous, sometimes fatal world. The last place he wanted his sister that wasn’t involved to be.

They finished eating, chatting about things at home, like Annabeth’s new projects or Attie’s new words. 

Estelle stood up, telling Percy she’d see him later.

Camp Half-Blood felt different with Percy there. The new generation of demigods worshipped the ground he walked on (which made him uncomfortable). Despite denying godhood, he was their god. He would spend the days helping kids train, sitting on the porch with Chiron and Piper, or just relaxing on his own in the shade grading papers.

As Estelle went to go look for Adrien, she was stopped. “A friend wants to meet,” Thalia said.

“Who?”

“You’ll see, c’mon.”

Thalia led her to a silver tent, awkwardly placed outside of Cabin Eight. It looked small from the outside, but as Thalia ushered her in, it was huge. Like a hunting lodge.

“Hello, Estelle,” a voice greeted. Sitting inside was the girl from earlier with the auburn hair. She said criss cross on the floor, a warm smile on her face. Many hunters lingered around her, but it was clear she was the center.

“Hi,” Estelle said, unsure what was happening.

“This is the friend,” Thalia clarified.

“I don’t suppose you remember me, you were a little girl at that wedding,” the girl, who was definitely younger than her, said.

“Artemis, I mean, Lady Artemis,” Estelle realized, wondering if it was too late to bow.

“Artemis is fine, I wanted to ask you something. You’re a bright young woman, Estelle Blofis. Much potential, it must run in the family, and I’m not talking about my side. You have your mother’s spirit. I wanted to offer you-”

Just then, the tent’s opening swung open. It was Percy, with Reyna close behind. “Percy, just let them talk-” she was saying.

“Artemis,” Percy addressed her, arms crossed. It was kind of odd to see, a 30 year old man, 6’2”, looking so offended by a bunch of 12-15 year old girls ¾ of his height.

 _“Male!_ How dare you-” one of the youngest girls, maybe 11, seethed. She jumped up, as if ready to attack.

 _“Octavia,_ you are new. You do not know who this is,” Artemis said curtly, gesturing for the girl to sit.

The girl grumbled, returning to her seat.

“Perseus, I apologize for not asking your permission to speak with her. I am just here to discuss, I would come to you before we reach a decision,” Artemis said calmly.

“Percy, I’m not a little girl,” Estelle said, turning to him. “I know what’s going on now, I can speak for myself.”

Percy’s anger seemed to lessen. “Stella, I just want to protect you, it’s a scary-”

“A scary world out there, yeah, so I’ve heard. I’ve never seen it, but I’ve heard. Just, give us a while, okay? Come back in twenty minutes or something,” Estelle said sharply.

Percy looked hurt, which made her feel guilty instantly. “Thals-”

“I got her, don’t worry. Come back in a few,” Thalia said, giving him a soft smile.

Percy nodded and left.

“You know what I offer then,” Artemis said. “Eternal maidenhood, family, strength.”

Estelle loved the sound of it. To stop being the excluded mortal girl, and be immortal. To travel the country with Thalia, being badass and killing evil things. 

Artemis smiled, seeing the desire in her eyes.

The door flap opened again, and again the little girl Octavia yelled “Male!”

It was Adrien, blue eyes glimmering. “I was gonna knock, but this is a tent so I wasn’t sure how you knock on a tent. I saw you go in here Stella, I was gonna ask if you wanted to go canoeing- Oh is this some kind of meeting? My bad-”

Estelle laughed at his antics. Her expression softened, her heart felt like bursting. “One sec Adrien.”

He nodded awkwardly and closed the flap.

“I see,” Artemis said, clearing her throat. 

Estelle realized what being a hunter meant for her and Adrien. “I’m sorry Artemis, I can’t take your offer.”

“A shame,” Artemis nodded. “I’ll let you get back to your… friend.”

Maybe mortality wasn’t all bad.

  
  



	17. little huntress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> au: estelle accepts artemis' offer. the aftermath: through percy's eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok!!! before you read this:
> 
> \- this is basically an AU to the AU I have going on! I wrote this as a one shot but since it's estelle centric I put it in here. this is not in the storyline I have going on  
> \- if this really doesn't fit ill delete it, im already gonna also upload it as a one shot  
> \- I got really emotional writing this omfg  
> \- this is really thru Percy's eyes so like idk it feels like it doesn't fit damn now im gonna b anxious about this  
> \- I hope u enjoy!

The first time Percy met the Hunters, he was unnerved. Being at odds with Thalia at the time and having to be saved by them was only slightly embarrassing.

And he was jealous, in more ways than one.

Firstly, they were a one way ticket to a responsibility free life, like no impending doom or prophecies to be fulfilled, (although it became Thalia’s problem, he thought.)

If only he wasn’t a dude.

Secondly, there was Annabeth. She had considered joining, and it made him feel like puking, or ripping up that stupid brochure, or both. Both sounded good.

When Bianca joined them, he saw the effect on Nico. His big sister, his only family, had a whole new family one second after meeting them. Percy tried to be happy for her, at least she got to live forever now.

When Thalia joined them, they became more human. Not a bunch of Zoe Nightshades, who were dutiful, humorless and spoke in the language of Shakespeare, or a bunch of Phoebes, who were big and adamant on killing males, (specifically the Stolls). If anything, they were a bunch of Thalias, badass, good people.

Hearing Reyna joined made him happy that she’d get a break, at least a break for Reyna. Instead of leading a legion and killing monsters, now she could take out the leading a legion part. 

Percy was a man now, with a job, a wife, a kid and another on the way. He had an apartment close to his mom’s in Manhattan. He would stop by to see his mom, Paul, and sister often. The Hunt was experiencing a peaceful time, with no monsters on their radar, so Sally often had them come over when they weren’t at Camp to see two of her favorites of Percy’s friends, Thalia and Reyna. Sally would make dinner, let the girls shower and lounge around.

Estelle was 14. She would come home from school with delight to see them. She just loved being around them all- cool, immortal, monster fighting teen girls. Percy could see the desire she had to be a part of his world, which was his biggest fear. He hated that his daughter and future children had godly blood, that there was no escaping trouble. At least he could be thankful his mortal sister had no obligation.

It was one specific day, just another Wednesday, he had a feeling to check up on them- Sally, Paul and Estelle. 

He gave Annabeth and his daughter a kiss each, grabbed the car keys, and told them he’d be back for dinner.

Percy didn’t know why his chest felt tight, and his heart was beating faster. He was used to having an anxious feeling when things were wrong, but what could be wrong? Did he have a dream he’d forgotten, telling him something?

Manhattan traffic didn’t help.

He arrived to his old home, letting himself in with his spare key.

His family sat in the living room. Their voices went quiet, like he’d interrupted something. 

Sally’s lips were pursed tightly, resembling the look she’d give him before a quest, or battle all those years ago. He hadn’t seen this look since he was about 17.

Paul looked nervous, as he sometimes did when he would see something of Percy’s world he was completely unfamiliar with. Another look Percy hadn’t seen in a while.

Then there was Estelle. His little Stella, his baby sister. She’d been born when he was 17, so although they had a goofy relationship most of the time, he sometimes felt more protective of her, like he felt with his daughter.

Estelle looked different, even though he’d seen her two days ago. 

Normally, she wore huge sweatshirts, with skate brands or rappers, or cool designs. She would have on sweatpants or ripped jeans, with beat up Vans or Timberlands. Her signature hairstyle was loosely wrapping her brown curls in a messy, disfigured bun. 

Now, she wore a neat, black t-shirt with hole-free, black leather jeans. It was like she’d raided Thalia’s closet. He didn’t recognize her shoes; the sleek, black Nike running shoes. 

Her hair was neatly braided down her back, with little strands peeking out.

And her posture. Normal Estelle slumped over, sitting casually like she didn’t care- because she didn’t. Her normal expression was a sideways smirk Percy sometimes wore himself around her age, the one that made teachers uneasy.

This Estelle sat up straight, in fact, she even looked a little taller. It was like she’d become a different person overnight.

“What’s going on?” he demanded, although he had a good idea.

“We were going to tell you she was considering it Perce, we didn’t know she would do it so soon-” Paul began to say.

“-I had to do it on my own terms,” Estelle interrupted. “I’m ready. I feel ready. This wasn’t a crass decision or anything. So I did it.” She crossed her arms defiantly.

This was a rare moment, a family feud. Estelle wasn’t as big of a trouble maker as Percy had been in the day, but she had her moments. 

Which meant his mom and Paul got to have parenting moments, unlike the old days when Sally didn’t have the heart to correct Percy’s behavior too harshly, and Gabe made up for it with threatening words behind her back.

This would take some getting used to, and Percy had to restrain himself from giving Thalia a piece of his mind for not letting him know.

Estelle was surprisingly twenty times better than him at archery. Maybe it was Poseidon’s genes screwing him on that one.

She looked a lot like Bianca after joining, calm, happy, like she’d found her place. (He tried to push this to the back of his mind, seeing where that got Bianca.)

Attie, his first born, was now 14, meaning the same physical age as Estelle, and they couldn’t have been closer. Luckily, Attie had a girlfriend, so she didn’t have any interest in the Hunt.

It was odd, being a father, a grandfather, and having a little sibling be 14. Any outsider would wonder how it was possible.

Annabeth and him retired to the new cottages outside Camp Half-Blood, where Greek demigods lived, and one of their 3 children had started a family.

Percy sat with Chiron, watching their Capture the Flag games, reminiscing about his first one. Tonight, the Hunters were visiting, so they played with a few cabins against the rest of Camp. Back in his day, the camp barely had enough campers to even the odds against the Hunters. 

Estelle was a pro by now, taking strategies out of Annabeth’s playbook for the game. Percy hollered as she ran like a cheetah across the border with the other team's flag, a herd of too slow Apollo kids on her tail.

He wasn’t sure how he did it. Percy had lived a decently healthy life, having a diet of mostly healthy Camp food, training often and avoiding every substance.

He’d managed to outlive Annabeth, which should’ve troubled the normal husband, but he knew he’d see her soon in paradise. 

He knew he’d see her tomorrow. Nico had let him know. Percy was at peace with this. Throughout the week, he visited his father, all of his own children, and all of theirs. He even had a great-grandchild.

Only one more person to say goodbye to.

“98, huh? That’s pretty good,” Estelle said, teary eyed, gripping his hand as they sat on the Big House porch, watching the sun set.

“Yeah, well, Thalia’s beating me. So will you,” he said, smiling and patting his sister's hand with his own, aged one.

They chatted for a few more hours, recalling Christmases with Paul and Sally, asking her to regularly check on her nieces and nephews, and to stay safe.

Estelle walked him back to his house on the outskirts of the strawberry fields. Percy overlooked Camp Half-Blood one more time, the place it had all started. And the place it would all end.

“Goodnight, Stella,” Percy said.

Tears streamed down her face. The only downside of immortality; see all your loved ones age, and eventually die. 

“I love you, Perce,” she said, squeezing him tightly.

“I love you too. May we meet again, one day. Not too soon, though.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im struggling w ideas for this fic ode so like updates r so slow
> 
> my insta is acqqquarius if anyone wants to talk :,)
> 
> hope u enjoyed!!!! im so overwhelmed w the love this fic gets


	18. is something holding you back?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol long time no see I've lost Inso for this fic hopefully ill find it  
> in the meanwhile im writing two other recent fics if u wanna check them out:D

Estelle didn’t care what anyone said, spring was the best season at Camp Half-Blood. It wasn’t so hot that walking across the pavilion felt like a mile sprint and the strawberries were steaming off the vines from the insane New York heat.

Plus, there were basically half as many campers as the summer. Since Percy’s day, things were looking up for half-bloods the other three seasons of a year. Older ones went to New Rome college, and less monsters crept around waiting to attack young ones. Many demigods could live happily at home, if they had one.

Adrien had a house, but Camp was his home.

He had training all day with his cabin (which was actually just his older sister, Kymopoleia didn’t have too many kids it seemed), but he left her a note in her cabin (more like Percy’s cabin she stayed in for weekend trips) to meet at the beach after the campfire.

She was giddy all day thinking about it. “Stella’s in love,” one of the friends she’d made, Gioia from Aphrodite singsonged. 

Gioia was a pretty tall blonde girl, the current head counselor of Cabin 10. She had heterochromia, one eye was leafy green and the other warm brown. Estelle heard horror stories of an evil Aphrodite head counselor years ago, but Gioia was sweet as could be.

Estelle blushed. There was no denying it, she did like him.

They’d met at her school, and Adrien quickly became her best friend. After an odd series of events where he found out his mother was actually a chaotic daughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite (yuck, she hates to think about that. On the bright side gods don’t have DNA), he started staying at Camp, where Estelle would frequently visit to see him.

Estelle went about her day, greeting friends, shifting tables throughout mealtimes.

Finally, it was night, and they met on the beach.

A long talk happened, way too long considering Estelle didn’t have a watch to check what time it was. Adrien liked her back somehow, despite the fact he now lived at a place full of half goddess girls.

He began to lean in, which was pretty bold of him. The old Adrien was too scared to ask for a ride home from school sometimes.

Estelle leaned as well, breaking contact with his deep blue eyes and closing her own. 

“Um… is something holding you back?” Adrien asked suddenly.

Estelle arched an eyebrow. “No, I like you too.”

She tried to lean forward more to make contact with his lips, but something pulled at the back of her shirt.

“I meant Mrs. O’Leary,” Adrien said. 

Surely enough, Mrs. O’Leary was pulling back on her shirt, hundreds of pounds of pure hellhound. 

“Ugh, is Percy trying to ruin my life?” she asked aloud, to which Adrien laughed. Go figure her brother’s dog would ruin her first kiss.

Mrs. O’Leary tugged more. 

“I think she’s trying to bring you somewhere Stell-” Adrien was saying, just as they saw _it._

The wrinkly, terrifying harpy was coming right at them. 

With no time to waste (because everyone at CHB knew what happened when you were out past curfew), Estelle grabbed Adrien and jumped on Mrs. O’Leary’s back.

“Cabin 32, bring us there!” Estelle said quickly into the dog’s ear.

They vanished into the shadows just as the harpy was seconds from reaching them.

The three reformed in the Kymopoleia cabin, which was like a bootleg Poseidon cabin (no disrespect to it’s designer Jason Grace, he was in the early stages of interior design.)

Adrien’s sister Marlowe stirred in her sleep before opening her eyes groggily to the scene before her. Adrien and Estelle sat dumbstruck on Mrs. O’Leary’s huge back, who took up about half the cabin.

“Holy Hades I have weird dreams,” Marlowe groaned.

  
  



End file.
